Domestic violence is one of leading causes of homelessness for women in Colorado (Clarke, Pendry & Chung 1997). The same can be said for the women who live on the streets of Vancouver�s Downtown East Side, who often tell of abuse in childhood, as well as, from prior or current partners. Similarly Craft-Rosenberg, Powell and Culp (2000) found that the leading cause of homelessness amongst women was abandonment of their previous housing arrangement due to problems with spouses or family. The inability for women to find safe affordable housing after leaving relationships or family homes is a major problem, this leaves them vulnerable to the street and prostitution or poor working conditions with inadequate pay. The fact also remains that women often continue to be relegated to low wage jobs with substandard working conditions. Also, given proposed cuts to the welfare roles it would not be surprising if more single mothers were not driven to prostitution to cover rent and groceries.

The evidence of abuse during childhood as a predisposing factor for victimization as adults has been established within �general population and in homeless persons� (Wenzel, Leake & Gelberg, 2001, pp.2). As discussed, power imbalances lead to low self-esteem in people, leaving persons vulnerable to be preyed upon by abusive individuals. This phenomenon may be further perpetuated by health care professionals, who regard themselves experts in their field of study, but who further marginalize those who inhabit our society�s periphery. Many of the articles researched for this paper suggest that health care professionals need to become more sensitive to the needs of marginalized persons. Power is defined by Hall, Stevens and Meleis as an �influence exerted by those at the center of a community over the periphery� (1994, pp.27). While health care professionals occupy privileged positions in North American society, evidence points to the need for change in the hierarchy of the health care system which focuses on client-centered and client-driven health care plans.