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In a recent nationwide survey, a striking 60% of participants expressed that they lack the financial confidence to relocate from their current residences even in situations where their safety is at risk. This hesitancy is largely due to the high upfront costs associated with renting and the scarcity of secure, affordable housing options.
Alarmingly, 10% of those surveyed revealed that they would be without a safe destination if forced to leave their homes.
According to Charlie Spendlove, CEO of St Vincent De Paul Society Victoria, women and children escaping domestic violence represent the largest demographic facing homelessness in Australia.
Spendlove pointed out that, “The reality of women’s homelessness is often far different from common perceptions.”
“It is often concealed in vehicles, on friends’ couches, or in precarious temporary setups. This invisibility makes it easier for the issue to be overlooked and underfunded,” he added.
“We recently supported a woman, ‘Sarah’, who had spent 15 years building what looked like a stable, secure life.
“Behind closed doors, she was experiencing significant violence.
“When she made the brave decision to leave, she didn’t just lose her relationship, she lost her home.
“For months, Sarah was sleeping in her car. She tried rooming houses, but they felt so unsafe and unsustainable that she returned to the streets.
“For her, the car was the safest option available in a system that wasn’t meeting her needs.”
She said Sarah was eventually able to transition into a secure long-term home with help from VincentCare.
“This research shows that the cost-of-living crisis is making an impossible situation worse,” Spendlove said.
The data, released ahead of the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout in Melbourne in June, also showed more than half of respondents wouldn’t feel comfortable disclosing family violence to their employer and only 18 percent would know how to help a colleague they suspected was in need.
Spendlove called on businesses to take a direct stake in solving the issue, saying the sleepout was a leadership opportunity as well as a fundraiser.
“Nearly one in ten Australians say they’d have nowhere to go. That number should stop every business leader in their tracks,” she said.
“The CEO Sleepout is a chance to step up publicly, help fund a safe way out, and bring others with you.”
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