Homeless Veterans Statistics

 

According to a December 2011 survey, 67,495 veterans are homeless on any given night and twice as many experience homelessness during a year. Right now, the number of homeless Vietnam-era veterans is greater than the number of service persons who died during that war. Already, veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are appearing among the homeless population.

 

Homeless Female Veteran Statistics

• Approximately 7,000 women veterans are homeless

• Numbers are expected to increase as more women return from Iraq and Afghanistan

• Women veterans are four times as likely to go homeless than their civilian counterparts

• 75 % report experiencing sexual abuse, in the military or in civilian life

• Half suffer from substance or alcohol dependence

• One third have mental illness

• Of 500 VA veterans shelters, 300 say they accept women

• 15 VA shelters have women-only programs

• None can accept women and their children

 

Video: Helping Our Homeless Veterans, March 2012

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-daily-rundown/46891688#46891688

 

 

A wealth of information and statistics is also available at these websites:

 

• Department of Veterans Affairs – www.va.gov

• National Coalition for Homeless Veterans –www.nchv.org

• National Alliance to End Homelessness –www.naeh.org.