AN URGENT investment in crisis accommodation for victims of family violence is essential to keep women and children in Melbourne’s west from becoming homeless, according to service providers.
Women’s Health West family violence manager Jacky Tucker said it had been decades since any serious investment was made in boosting crisis accommodation for women and children fleeing violent homes.
“For some women, family violence means they have to leave the home,” Ms Tucker said.
“In those circumstances they are effectively homeless; they have no safe home they can go to.”
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows family violence remains the leading cause of homelessness in Victoria and the lack of housing options leaves too many women and children at risk. One in three people seeking assistance from homeless support agencies are escaping family violence and one in five is aged under 10.
Ms Tucker said the critical shortage of emergency accommodation in the western suburbs forced many women to move to locations such as Shepparton or Bairnsdale.
Victorian Council of Social Service chief executive Emma King said children and young people who experienced homelessness early in life were more likely to ‘cycle’ in and out of homelessness throughout their lives.
“Unless we support people experiencing family violence by providing access to safe and secure housing, we risk condemning people to lifelong disadvantage,” she said.
Ms King called for more safe housing and better support for frontline organisations.
