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Vulnerable to Hate: A Survey of Hate Crimes & Violence Committed against the Homeless in 2013
COSAC resident Robert Cassito, 55, was attacked 5 years ago with a 20 pound ax by another homeless man, who was jealous that Cassito had money. Cassito has been victim to other hate crimes including burglaries and other beatings. Excerpt from Violent Attacks on Homeless People Not Uncommon run in HV October 2012- to read full story, visit HVoice.org under archives
Chelsea Boozer Rose Marie Yale, weighed down by four grocery bags, made her way across the Family Dollar parking lot with the $150 she had to her name tucked inside a leather pouch slung around her neck. A heavyset man who was watching approached her with a crowbar in hand, shoved her to the ground and beat her for 10 minutes before snatching the pouch and running away. Yale, 57, a diebetic with seven herniated discs, has lived at the COSAC homeless shelter, a private-run facility in Hollywood Fl, for the past two-and-a-half years. Attacks, like the one that happened to Yale, occur to about 113 people every year nationwide, according to the latest data released by the National Coalition for the Homeless. “The things I’ve been watching on TV and reading
about in the Homeless Voice about how people are beating up In another instance, two men pinned him to the on people, I don’t know, there is something in their heads.” ground and hit him before taking the $100 he collected Yale said. “They get thrilled. They get off on doing it. You from panhandling. know what I’m saying? And it’s wrong.” Such attacks are “believed to be motivated by the Sean Cononie, COSAC founder and director, said there are a perpetrators’ bias against homeless individuals or number of reasons why the homeless are easy targets for viotheir ability to target homeless people with relative lent attacks. ease,” according to the NCH In general, the homeless carry their study. belongings and whatever cash they That was the case with Yale, have on their person. Those who sleep ...people are beating up on people, who may have been an easy outside have little resources available target that day at the Dania I don’t know, there is something in FL Family Dollar store about to them to protect what they have. “They don’t have that window-that a year ago. She doesn’t own their heads. They get thrilled. door-that you and I have,” Cononie a car, so she walked with her said. belongings from the store COSAC resident Robert Cassito, to the bus stop- alone and 53, was attacked 3 years ago with a 20 pound ax by another unprotected. homeless man, who was jealous that Cassito had money. Cassito A talk with a few COSAC residents indicated such has been victim to other hate crimes including burglaries and attacks may be more common that the NCH study other beatings. indicates.
Our Purpose: To Help the Homeless Learn How to Help Themselves