How to be homeless in Hong Kong : survival strategies among McRefugees and street sleepers

Abstract

This paper examines the survival strategies of McRefugees (homeless individuals who seek shelter within McDonald’s restaurants) and street sleepers in two districts of Hong Kong. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with homeless persons residing in McDonald’s restaurants or on the streets. Victimisation and fear of crime are evident across both groups of homeless individuals, who are equally hostile towards drug addicts and non-Chinese migrants. The geographical distribution of the homeless directly influences their lifestyles, whereas public aid dictates their places of rest. Homeless individuals stay away from crime and harassment by adopting a strategic network to receive information about their neighbourhood and to stay away from crime by not appearing alone. These networks further assist the homeless with information about food, jobs, and relief distributed by NGOs or religious groups. The research findings reveal that the majority of homeless adopt individualised strategies to deal with potential crime, which has implications for future government efforts to reduce victimisation among the homeless.