Sexual and Romantic Relationships Among People Experiencing Homelessness: A Scoping Review

Public Policy Relevance Statement Despite the possible benefits of sexual and romantic relationships for people who are homelessness, this review found that researchers instead have overwhelmingly focused on possible risks associated with sex in this population. The few studies that examined consensual sexual or romantic relationships among people experiencing homelessness found that these relationships can be an important source of support through the difficult conditions associated with homelessness. Policymakers and practitioners should consider how their policies and practices may undermine the ability of people experiencing homelessness to develop and maintain consensual, healthy, and supportive, sexual and romantic relationships. Homelessness is widely recognized as a pervasive issue. Despite increasing research on factors affecting the health and well-being of people who are homeless, one that remains relatively understudied is the role of romantic and sexual relationships. Given that this population has the same needs for intimacy and closeness as anyone else, it is important to understand how these relationships occur, what barriers exist in developing and maintaining them, and what is their impact. This scoping review aimed to (a) characterize the nature of research that has examined sexual and romantic relationships among people who are homeless and (b) identify and synthesize the findings of studies that examined romantic and sexual relationships among people who are homeless. Of 539 studies that examined sexual or romantic relationships among people who are homeless, 88.87% examined sexual health risk, 11.13% examined sexual victimization, 5.57% examined survival sex, and 2.41% examined consensual sexual or romantic relationships. Of the studies that examined consensual sexual or romantic relationships substantially (n = 13) all used qualitative methods and identified common themes such as love, romance, and emotional support; partner relationships as transactional; barriers to partner relationships; and casual sex and pleasure. Despite the possible benefits of sexual and romantic relationships in the context of homelessness, researchers instead have primarily focused on possible risks associated with sex. We introduce how sexual citizenship can be applied to understand how current practices and policies limit people's civic participation when homeless.