The number of women and girls seeking assistance who were already homeless increased by 20 per cent — from 24,517 in May 2022 to 29,449 in March this year.

Overall, it said around 45 per cent of these women and girls have experienced domestic and family violence, referencing AIHW data.

‘Emergency proportions’

“The situation just keeps getting worse and worse.”

“It’s affecting the lives of millions of Australians, and the most urgent and disturbing part of it is the rising homelessness all of us can see in our own communities,” she said.

Our staff are ‘forced to triage’

Supporting women and children escaping violence may include safety planning and preparing a vacant property. If there is no accommodation, it may involve safety planning to return to living with a perpetrator until housing becomes available.

For some victim-survivors, a lack of housing options may lead them to stay in, or return to, a violent relationship. Source: AAP / Diego Fedele

Family and domestic violence is the main reason women and children leave their homes, according to the AIHW. Many of them experience housing insecurity, and in some cases, homelessness. For some victim-survivors, a lack of housing options may lead them to stay in, or return to, a violent relationship.

“It’s nearly impossible for us, currently, to transition women with three or more children,” she said.

“We need it urgently,” she said.

Calls for more social housing, a national plan

“The thing is they’re not sufficient to catch up to where we need to be,” she said.