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NEWS & LETTERS,
January-February 2002
Homeless youth hold vigil
Chicago—A candlelight
vigil for homeless youth and survivors of sexual exploitation took place at the
State of Illinois Building on Jan. 16. Over 50 people, most of them youth,
demanded Governor Ryan increase funding for homeless youth services Ryan plans
to cut the Illinois Department of Human Services budget by $300 million by Feb.
20th. Various advocacy groups are
pushing for an increase in services from $4 million to $8 million. Currently
Illinois spends only about $160 per homeless youth each year, which translates
into state-funded shelters turning away 42% of those seeking services. Many
claim there are simply no available beds. The truth is that these shelters have
empty beds but they are reserved for wards of the state who bring with them a
pretty penny. That pretty penny is what keeps the agencies afloat. Of the 26,000 youth in Illinois
that experience homelessness each year, 12,000 are chronically homeless. Of
these, 70% become victims of commercial sexual exploitation—which includes
trading sex for survival needs, such as for food and shelter. Over 90% of those
prostituted are survivors of sexual violence either at home or on the street.
The average age of entry into prostitution is 12-14 for girls and 11-13 for
boys. Pregnant and parenting teens,
and youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered make up a
disproportionate number of homeless youth. The most moving part of the
vigil was when three homeless youth spoke. Ayesha, one such youth said, "We
do care about our lives. We don't want our future to be destroyed because they
think we're drug addicts and prostitutes, not worth anything." Another youth, Euridyces, said,
"It is very sad the government is giving up on youth. We are trying to
climb up and they keep us down. You don't know how hard it is to be nice to a
guy just so you can take a shower at his apartment." She began crying at
this point and finished by saying that "being homeless is the worst thing
you can be. But we are human beings. Don't give up fighting for us." —Sonia Bergonzi |
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