Part four of a five-part series on the homeless and how the stigma associated with being homeless directly affects the relationships between authorities, public space and themselves.

People who experience homelessness claim they are assaulted and verbally abused by authorities and even pedestrians.

Harold Smoke, a man with lived experience of homelessness, said it happens almost daily from RCMP and City of Kelowna bylaw officers.

sa国际传媒�(Authorities) literally tease them and say, sa国际传媒極h Isa国际传媒檓 going home to my bed tonight, where are you staying?sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� said Smoke, who is now housed. sa国际传媒淗ow do you deal with that?sa国际传媒�

Kelowna bylaw stated there have been rumours of assaults taking place, but sa国际传媒渢here (has been) no documented criminal charges ever laid by the police against one of our bylaw officers for assaulting a homeless person,sa国际传媒� according to bylaw department manager David Gazely.

Gazely said often bylaw officers are subjected to assault and abuse by people who experience homelessness, citing that officers are often spat at, pushed and had their vehicles damaged.

According to Gazely, officers also have found homemade weapons, bear spray, machetes and axes in shopping carts.

sa国际传媒淓veryone is different in their tolerance level and how much they can actually take in terms of what their breaking point may be,sa国际传媒� Gazely said.

sa国际传媒淚 strongly believe that our officers maintain their composure as best they can under the circumstances and only react in a defensive manner if they have reason to believe they are at risk of personal bodily harm.sa国际传媒�

READ MORE: Part 1: From homeless to housed: A Kelowna womansa国际传媒檚 journey

Kelowna RCMP did not deny or confirm that physical or verbal assaults do occur.

sa国际传媒淚f someone has concerns about the manner in which they were treated by any officer of the RCMP, there are complaint processes in place through which they can bring forward their concerns,sa国际传媒� stated Kelowna RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Jesse Osa国际传媒橠onaghey.

However, those who claim to have been assaulted and are experiencing homelessness, often do not bother trying the formal process.

sa国际传媒淲ho are they going to believe sa国际传媒� a homeless person? A homeless drug addict sleeping in a parksa国际传媒�possible overdose?sa国际传媒� said Jared Charles Dayley, a 24-year-old man who now lives in Cornerstone shelter.

According to those interviewed who experience homelessness, they believe the system is pitted against them and if they were to file a complaint, it would be apt to fail.

This, Dayley claimed, does not only adhere to reporting incidents of assault from authorities; it also includes ordinary citizens.

The idea that Kelowna residents are to blame for harassing people who experience homelessness is something that Cornerstone case manager and member of Journey Homesa国际传媒檚 lived experience group James Smith would agree with, saying it is a bigger issue than people realize and that there are some sa国际传媒減retty scary stories out there.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淯nfortunately, the way most of society looks at people that are living on the street is that they are second rate,sa国际传媒� Smith said. sa国际传媒淪o if they are getting beat up by the cops, it doesnsa国际传媒檛 matter (because) theysa国际传媒檙e just homeless drug addicts.sa国际传媒�

READ MORE: Part 2: We donsa国际传媒檛 deserve to sit beside sa国际传媒榥ormal peoplesa国际传媒�: Kelowna homeless

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sa国际传媒淪ome have said they have never been beaten up, spit on and treated so badly,sa国际传媒� said Wanda MacKinnon, a member of the Lived Experience Circle on Homelessness. sa国际传媒淎nd it seems to be OK to do that to a homeless person here.sa国际传媒�