YWCA Australia and UNSW City Futures Research Centre have released a research report Gender, Housing Insecurity and Homelessness in Australia: Data Insights that sheds light on the complex landscape of homelessness in Australia, particularly the unique challenges faced by women, First Nations women, and young people.
YWCA Australia commissioned UNSW City Futures Research Centre to explore the gendered pathways of housing insecurity and homelessness and identify gaps in data to inform and improve future policy design.
Summary of Key Findings
- While homelessness rates and numbers for men have decreased, women, on the other hand, experienced an increase in both estimated numbers and rates of homelessness at the 2021 Census.
- First Nations populations witnessed a 6 per cent rise in experiences of homelessness, and First Nations women constituted nearly 23 per cent of all people experiencing homelessness in 2021.
- Women single parents experiencing homelessness outnumbered their male counterparts in every state.
- Young people are significantly impacted by the housing and rental affordability crisis, comprising almost half of the population experiencing homelessness in 2021.
- Around 49 per cent of the total number of people experiencing homelessness are young people and 57 per cent of people in inadequate housing are young people.
- Tasmania experienced substantial increases in rates of homelessness, while New South Wales, Northern Territory, and Queensland showed overall declines.
- Women experienced increased rates of homelessness in Tasmania, Victoria, and South Australia by around 16 per cent.
- In the Northern Territory, homelessness rates are 10 per cent higher for women than men.
- Women make up the majority of all users of specialist homelessness services (SHS) at 60 per cent.
- Family and domestic violence remains the leading factor (35 per cent) driving women to seek SHS assistance.
- Housing, including access and affordability, was the predominant reason for people with a disability accessing SHS.
