Becoming Strong

Drawing on more than 150 in-depth interviews, Becoming Strong: Impoverished Women and the Struggle to Overcome Violence offers various perspectives on our understanding of trauma and resilience.

Laura Huey is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Western Ontario.
Broll Ryan :

Ryan Broll is an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Guelph.

"As the book title suggests, the message of the book is that marginalized and victimized women can become strong, often already are (but not realized to be) strong, and there are ways that society and other individuals can assist women on the journey to becoming strong."

Anne Burke:

"The authors analyzed interviews conducted with nearly two hundred homeless women in U.S. cities, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit. Most of the women who suffered a wide range of traumas exhibited signs of resiliency. Where women remain in negative patterns, they may be solutions, rather than perpetuating female homelessness."

Suzanne L. Wenzel, Richard and Ann Thor Professor in Urban Social Development, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California:

"Laura Huey and Ryan Broll are to be commended for their obvious and deep commitment to understanding and ultimately enhancing the lives of homeless women who have experienced trauma, and for their recognition that women who have experienced homelessness are capable of　overcoming trauma and achieving　personal growth and fulfilment. Giving voice to the experiences and　strengths of marginalized and vulnerable populations in our societies is important and reflects the　recognition that such individuals are valuable citizens with fundamental rights."

James D. Wright, Provost’s Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Central Florida:

“Becoming Strong covers an important subject in the sociology and social psychology of women’s homelessness, namely, the experience of violence and how homeless women cope with (become resilient to) the violence they experience.”