Couch surfing

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Couch surfing is a term that generally indicates the practice of moving from house to house, sleeping in whatever spare space is available (often a couch or floor), generally staying a few days before moving on to another house. People sometimes couch surf when they are travelling or because they are homeless.

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Couch surfing in travel

Couch surfing's cultural significance grew when the website CouchSurfing was launched in 2004. Upon the release of the app, what previously used to be a cheap alternative for budget travelers became recognized as a hip, new way to travel. [1] Couch surfing became not only a way to save money, but a way to meet new people and have new experiences. [1] Its attraction was in the way it allowed people to have a more immersive and authentic travel experience. [2] Besides CouchSurfing, many other platforms were created and groups were formed in order to help people who are looking to couch surf connect with potential hosts and other travelers. While couch surfing may not be considered the most popular or mainstream way to travel, in 2018 around 15 million people had identified using couch surfing accommodations to travel. [2] However, couch surfing comes with the issue of safety. It can be less regulated than traditional forms of travel accommodations, making it a more risky choice for vulnerable travelers. [2]

Couch surfing as homelessness

Couch surfing is also considered a form of homelessness. It is the most common type of homelessness amongst youth. [3] It can be a result of substance abuse, [4] conflict in home relationships, or aftermath of leaving abusive situations. The individual may turn to couch surfing as a temporary solution, staying with friends or family members while they search for permanent housing or a way to get back on their feet. [5] It is different from sleeping on the streets or in a shelter, but it still has significant challenges, including the lack of stability and the strain on an individual. [6] Couch surfing homelessness can be a short-term solution to homelessness, but it is not a sustainable solution in the long term. [7] Individuals experiencing couch surfing homelessness often face uncertainty and instability, which can lead to negative consequences such as difficulty in finding employment, social isolation, and mental health issues. [6]

Couch surfing is usually missed by homeless counts and is therefore a type of hidden homelessness. For example, in 2017, HUD counted 114 thousand children as homeless in the United States in their homeless count, while surveys conducted by the Department of Education concluded there were 1.3 million. [8] Couch surfing is especially common among those under the age of 25, including children. In Britain, 1 in 5 young people have couch surfed at least once each year, and almost half of those have done so for more than a month. [9]

While safer than sleeping in the rough, couch surfing is not an adequate long term housing solution. Most couch surfers only stay in a single home for a short period of time. This may be because their host limits their stay, they voluntarily leave to preserve friendships, or they are forced to leave the home of a person who is abusive or has a drug problem. Some couch surfers have received housing in exchange for services such as cooking and cleaning. In other cases, people will have otherwise unwanted sexual encounters to be able to couch surf at a person's home for the night. Those who couch surf often sleep in the rough after leaving their accommodations. [10]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Chen, De-Jung (March 2018). "Couchsurfing: Performing the travel style through hospitality exchange". Tourist Studies. 18 (1): 105–122. doi:10.1177/1468797617710597. ISSN   1468-7976. PMC   6294175 . PMID   30595668.
  2. 1 2 3 Kuhzady, Salar; Çakici, Celil; Olya, Hossein; Mohajer, Boshra; Han, Heesup (2020-09-01). "Couchsurfing involvement in non-profit peer-to-peer accommodations and its impact on destination image, familiarity, and behavioral intentions". Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. 44: 131–142. doi:10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.05.002. ISSN   1447-6770. PMC   7331519 .
  3. ↑ Petry, Laura; Hill, Chyna; Milburn, Norweeta; Rice, Eric (May 2022). "Who Is Couch-Surfing and Who Is on the Streets? Disparities Among Racial and Sexual Minority Youth in Experiences of Homelessness". Journal of Adolescent Health. 70 (5): 743–750. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.10.039. ISSN   1054-139X. S2CID   246277741.
  4. ↑ Beaulieu, Myriam; Tremblay, Joël; Baudry, Claire; Pearson, Jessica; Bertrand, Karine (September 2021). "A systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of the long-term treatment and support of substance use disorders". Social Science & Medicine. 285: 114289. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114289. PMID   34365074.
  5. ↑ Curry, Susanna R.; Morton, Matthew; Matjasko, Jennifer L.; Dworsky, Amy; Samuels, Gina M.; Schlueter, David (September 2017). "Youth Homelessness and Vulnerability: How Does Couch Surfing Fit?". American Journal of Community Psychology. 60 (1–2): 17–24. doi:10.1002/ajcp.12156. PMID   28792063. S2CID   2389925.
  6. 1 2 Terui, Sachiko; Hsieh, Elaine (2016-11-09). ""Not Homeless Yet. I'm Kind of Couch Surfing": Finding Identities for People at a Homeless Shelter". Social Work in Public Health. 31 (7): 688–699. doi:10.1080/19371918.2016.1188739. ISSN   1937-1918. PMID   27366926. S2CID   41991619.
  7. ↑ Willimott, Amanda (2019-04-17). "Hidden homelessness – the realities 'couch surfing'". VincentCare. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  8. ↑ Dvorak, Petula. "Perspective | The hidden homeless: Not guys sleeping in tents but kids sleeping on buses and floors". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2021-03-12.
  9. ↑ Noblet, Paul (2017-09-27). "A fifth of young people are homeless | Paul Noblet". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
  10. ↑ Reeve, Kesia (May 2011). "The Hidden Truth about Homelessness" (PDF). Crisis.org.uk. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-03-03. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
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