Housing crisis worsens domestic violence and school dropout rates

Overcrowded and undersized housing is driving higher rates of domestic violence in Quebec, according to the third part of a study by the Quebec Observatory of Inequalities titled "The collective cost of the housing crisis in Quebec."

Sociologist Sandy Torres of the OQI found that overcrowding and inadequate space generate tension that can escalate into psychological and physical aggression. The study quantified the increased risk at 7.8 per cent higher for those living in overcrowded housing compared to those in adequate space. However, Torres cautioned that the study establishes correlation, not causation.

The housing crisis creates a second, more severe trap: financial barriers to escape. People living in inadequate housing often cannot afford better accommodation, and that same poverty limits their ability to leave abusive relationships. In 2021-2022, approximately 12.7 per cent of people who experienced intimate partner violence left their shared home. Of those who fled, 7.8 per cent ended up in public spaces not intended for habitation—situations of homelessness.

The correlation between poverty and violence is stark. Individuals who perceived themselves as very poor were 59 per cent more likely to have considered leaving due to violence but did not, compared to those who felt financially secure. The same group was 65.5 per cent more likely to report having experienced violence in their lifetime.