Family violence and homelessness

Abstract

"Family violence has been prominent as a pressing social issue in<br/ >Victoria and nationally in the past years, with growing attention on<br/ >understanding the experiences of those facing family violence and<br/ >creating appropriate policy responses to support those<br/ >victim/survivors' safety and security. In this context, the<br/ >significance of the relationship between family violence and (risk<br/ >of) homelessness has increasingly been recognised. The<br/ >watershed 2016 Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence<br/ >(RCFV) heard that saturated private rental markets, a shortage of<br/ >affordable housing, discrimination against single women and their<br/ >children, and the stress associated with short-term housing deters<br/ >women from leaving violent relationships and can increase the risk<br/ >of violence and lead to homelessness (RCFV 2016). This research<br/ >brief examines some of the intersections between family violence<br/ >and women's homelessness, with a focus on Victoria."