headline

Most Aussies ‘couldn’t afford to flee’ family violence, Vinnies claims

Australia's cost-of-living and housing availability crises are making it "impossible" for women and children to flee family and domestic violence, according to new data from St Vincent De Paul Society.

Sixty percent of respondents in a national survey said they could not confidently afford to leave their homes if their safety depended on it, citing upfront rental costs and limited availability of safe, affordable housing.

One in 10 said they would have nowhere safe to go if they had to leave their home.

LIVE UPDATES: Chalmer's grim Budget warning over 'hefty price' of war

Women and children fleeing family violence are the largest group experiencing homelessness in Australia, according to St Vincent De Paul Society Victoria CEO Charlie Spendlove.

"Women's homelessness doesn't look the way most people expect," Spendlove said.

"It hides in cars, on couches, in unsafe temporary arrangements – and because it's hidden, it's easier to miss and easier to underfund.

"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."

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.