“Mothers forced to lie”: Women hit harder by domestic crisis

Several organizations are urging Quebec and Ottawa to act to counter the effects of the housing crisis, which is particularly harmful to women.

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In an interview with LCN, Céline Magontier, organizer of the Popular Action Front in Urban Redevelopment (FRAPRU), called for better rent control, stronger measures to fight evictions and more social housing to help the many women affected by the crisis.

With an average income gap of $6,000 between female tenants and male tenants, the female population is particularly vulnerable to this issue.

“When these women are at the intersection of multiple oppressions – when they are racialized, when they are alone, when they are old, young, disabled – they are even more vulnerable to domestic problems, especially because they experience more discrimination,” declares Ms. Macontier.

Women are on average more vulnerable and therefore more likely to experience domestic problems more severely, she says.

“Also, we know that they are often more responsible for their children. Eight out of ten single-parent families have a woman as the main financial support, and single-parent families are particularly vulnerable,” says the FRAPRU organizer.

“Finding accommodation is complicated when you are the head of a family. Owners don't like it, families do. Often, mothers are forced to lie about their children in order to find shelter,” she adds.

Watch the video above to watch the full interview.