Los Angeles, CA – 10/18/10 – When veterans return home from war their lives are forever changed. Many struggle with PTSD, substance abuse, and homelessness. But life after service is markedly different for women veterans who may face the additional challenges of raising children as single mothers and overcoming military sexual trauma.
As a result the number of homeless female veterans is on the rise. Currently, there are an estimated 13,000 homeless female veterans in the United States; nearly double what it was a decade ago. Studies show that female veterans are nearly four-times more likely to be homeless compared to their male counterparts and non-veteran women.
The “Oprah Winfrey Show” recently focused on this important issue and featured two women who have benefited from the U.S. VETS ADVANCE women’s program.
Watch a video clip of U.S. VETS Outreach Specialist Claudia Munson as she scours Skid Row in Los Angeles looking for homeless female veterans.
Homeless Female Veterans
The Oprah Winfrey Show
They’re 7,000 miles away from home, living in barracks in the desert and fighting terrorists to protect America’s freedom. On top of dodging bullets and bombs, many female soldiers spend their days worrying about the civilian lives they left behind. Their children, bills, jobs and day-to-day responsibilities weigh heavily on their hearts.
Many female veterans find themselves facing harsh realities like homelessness when they return home. Experts believe there are at least 6,500 female veterans sleeping in cars, shelters or on the streets every night.
“The number of female veterans has doubled in the last decade,” says Tammy Duckworth, assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. In fact, she says female soldiers are two times more likely to become homeless than male veterans.
“We really see the problem of homelessness among veterans as a national shame,” Tammy says. “We are all dishonored anytime a veteran sleeps on the very same streets that he or she has defended.”
Read the full story at Oprah.com
How You Can Help Veterans – Oprah.com
Stephanie Mitchell, a writer for Oprah.com spoke with U.S. VETS clinical director of Long Beach, Bill Wallace about how everyone can help veterans.
What you need to know:
• What’s the most important thing you can do for a veteran who is returning home from war?
• What should you know about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
• What can you do to get involved in your community?
• What are some hardships facing veterans?
• Should you treat a female veteran differently than a male?
• How can you help a female veteran who’s experienced sexual trauma?
