STATEMENT ON HOUSING FOR WOMEN’S SAFETY The undersigned organisations are concerned about the continuing toll of violence against women, and lack of Government action to provide safe homes, so women and children can escape violence and rebuild their lives. Failing to include housing for women’s safety on the Agenda at the National Summit on Women’s Safety highlights the lack of focus on this critical issue. You simply can’t talk about women’s safety without talking about safe and affordable homes. Domestic and family violence is the biggest cause of homelessness for women and children, and an estimated: ✔ 7,690 women a year return to perpetrators due to having nowhere to live ✔ 9,120 women a year become homeless after leaving their homes due to domestic and family violence and being unable to secure long-term housing. We call on the Government to address access to safe and affordable housing in the successor National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children, by: ✔ setting a target to end homelessness for women and children and other victim survivors fleeing violence, and ✔ investing to deliver an adequate supply of new social and affordable housing, in partnership with state and territory governments, to meet the need for safe and affordable homes from women and children and other victim survivors fleeing violence ✔ Fix social security to protect women and children from poverty and homelessness In Australia each year 39,000 people come to homelessness services seeking long term housing after experiencing domestic and family violence. Of those, 37,867 miss out on long term housing. And we know this is not the full scale of the crisis. Many tens of thousands more women stay in a violent home because they have nowhere to go. Every day, lack of access to safe homes is putting women and children at continued risk of violence. It prevents them recovering and rebuilding their lives. The housing shortfall puts refuges and crisis accommodation under serious pressure, as women stay for extended periods because they cannot exit to permanent homes. Women and children, and other victim survivors, who experience discrimination and marginalisation, including First Nations women, women with disabilities, women in prison, migrant and refugee women, and LGBTIQ people are most at risk because of lack of access to housing. Acute shortages of safe accommodation and housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children experiencing domestic and family violence contributes to the high rates of domestic and family violence-related injury and death amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and to high rates of child removal. Providing safe and affordable homes is critical to the safety of women experiencing violence. Australia cannot claim to be serious about women’s safety until women can access safe homes. everybodyshome.com.au #Housing4Safety 4 Voices Global Brigidine Asylum Community Housing EMILY’s List Australia Limited Seekers Project Industry Association Victoria Fair Agenda Access Community Brisbane Youth Service Housing Company Community Housing Family Access Network Bryant’s Bookkeeping Industry Association Inc Accordwest Services NSW Fiji Diaspora Women’s ACON Caroline Chisholm Community Housing Alliance (FDWA) Society Limited ACT Council of Social Financial Counselling Service Catherine House, Community Australia Housing Choices SA Information & Support ACT Shelter Victoria Firefly Interactive Pty Catholic Care Western Ltd Affordable Housing Sydney and The Blue Community Northern Solutions Mountains Beaches Inc. Foyer Foundation Anglicare Australia Catholiccare Diocese Community Resource Gender Equity Victoria of Broken Bay (GENVIC) Anglicare Victoria Network Inc Centre for Excellence Gold Coast Project for Annie North Compass Housing in Child and Family Services Co Ltd Homeless Youth Inc. Anti-Poverty Week Welfare Consult Talie Good Samaritan Inn Australian Alliance to Centre for Non- Violence Co-operation Housing Grampians Community End Homelessness Health Centre for Social Council of Single Australian Gunnedah Family Communities Impact Mothers and their Children Support Foundation Centre for Women’s Habitat for Humanity Australian Council of Safety and Wellbeing Council to Homeless Persons Australia Social Service (ACOSS) CFMEU Construction Haven Home Safe Australian Council of and General Division Cumberland Women’s Trade Unions (ACTU) Domestic Violence Health Services Union Churches Housing Court Advocacy Australian Ecuatorian Incorporated Service Highlands Community Cultural Association Centres Inc. Churches of Christ Dawn House B Miles Women’s Housing Services Ltd. Hodyl & Co Foundation Daydawn Advocacy Quantum Support Centre Homelessness Australia Ballarat Community Services Democracy in Colour Homelessness NSW Health CIT Student Baptist Care Australia Association DG Media Projects Homes Out West Basic Rights Coffs Harbour Disability Justice Hope Street Youth and Queensland ; Working Neighborhood Centre Australia Family Services Womens Centre Qld Coffs Harbour Older Domestic Violence Housing Choices Bega Women’s Women’s Network Crisis Service Australia Resource Centre Coffs-Clarence Domestic Violence Housing Choices Beryl Women Inc. WDVCAS NSW Tasmania Bethlehem House cohealth Domestic Violence Housing Choices Tasmania Victoria/Domestic Western Australia Common Equity Nsw Violence Resource Better Renting Ltd Centre Victoria Housing for the Aged Action Group Beyond Your Bump Common Ground Doris Women’s Refuge Queensland Inc. Housing Plus Blacktown Womens and Girls Health Centre Community and Public DV West Hume Riverina Sector Union Community Legal Bondi Beach Cottage EACH Housing Service Community Housing Bridge Housing Industry Association Eastern Community Illawarra Women’s Limited Legal Centre Health Centre EDVOS everybodyshome.com.au #Housing4Safety Indian (Sub-Cont) Murrumbidgee Primary Care Connect Support The Girls Crisis & Support Women’s Domestic Australia Agency Violence Court Rape & Domestic Advocacy Service Violence Services Sydney Women’s Jenny’s Place Inc Australia Domestic Violence Muslim Women Court Advocacy Jesuit Social Services Australia RDO. Service Jireh House Nambour Community Beyond Housing Sydney Women’s Centre Inc Counselling Centre Justice Connect Sacred Heart Mission NAPCAN Tenants Queensland Karinya House for Safe Futures Mothers and Babies Narrabri & District Foundation Tenants’ Union ACT Comminty Aid Service Latitude: Directions for - NHSS Safe Steps Family Tenants’ Union NSW Young People Violence Response National Alliance of Centre Tenants Victoria Launceston City Seniors for Housing Mission SCALES Community The Footpath Library National Older Legal Centre Ltd Launch Housing Women’s Network Inc Settlement Services The Haymarket Orana Support Service National Shelter Inc. International Foundation Linking Communities National Union of SGCH The Huon Domestic Network Ltd Students Violence Service Sharehouse Youth Lirata Ltd Newcastle WDVCAS Programs Inc The Immigration Advice and Rights Lisa Harnum Newtown Shelter NSW Centre Foundation Neighbourhood Centre Shelter SA The Money Project Lou’s Place North Coast Shelter Tasmania The SAFV Centre Macleod Refuge Community Housing Shelter WA The Salvation Army Mallee Family Care Northern Centre against Sexual Assault Sonshine Sanctuary Thrive Services McAuley Community Northern Rivers Association Incorp Services for Women UMFC Women’s Domestic Soroptimist Melbourne City Mission Violence Court International Maylands Uniting Church in Advocacy Service Peninsula Australia, Synod of Mentis Assist Victoria and Tasmania Northern Sydney Soroptimist Merri Outreach Women’s Domestic International of South Uniting NSW.ACT Support Service Ltd Violence Court Perth Advocacy Service Uniting Vic.Tas Metro Community South Port Community Housing Northside Community Housing Group UnitingCare Australia Service Mid Coast Women’s South West Sydney Unity Housing Domestic Violence NT Shelter Legal Centre Company Court Advocacy Service NT Working Women’s Southern Youth and Victorian Council of Centre Family Services Social Service (VCOSS) Mission Australia Older Women’s St John’s Community Victorian Public Molonglo Support Network NSW Services/ Rough Edges Tenants Association Services Ltd Older Women’s St Vincent de Paul VincentCare Mornington Network Qld Inc Society National Community Council Visionary Design Information and Pacific Link Housing Development Pty Ltd Support Centre Inc Parkerville Children St Vincent de Paul Society NSW VMCH Moving Forward DFV and Youth Care Inc Case Management Warrina Domestic Peel Youth Services St Vincent de Paul Services Inc. Society Tasmania & Family Violence Specialist Services Port Stephens Mt Druitt Family St Vincent’s Health Violence Service Family Family and Wayss Ltd Neighbourhood Australia Services everybodyshome.com.au #Housing4Safety Women’s Domestic WomanGoingPlaces Women’s Health Yes Unlimited Violence Court Victoria Advocacy Service Women Illawarra Youth Family Women’s Housing & Community Weave Youth and Women Working Company Limited Connections Community Services Wonders Women’s Legal Service Yfoundations Western Australian Women’s and Girls’ Tasmania Council for Social Emergency Centre Youth Futures Inc. Services Women’s Liberation Women’s Community Halfway House Youth Off The Streets Westside Housing Shelters Company Women’s Property Youth Projects Women’s Electoral Initiatives Whittlesea Community Lobby Australia YWCA Australia Connections WRISC Family Violence Women’s Health NSW Support Inc YWCA Canberra Wintringham Women’s Health Women Up North Zonta House Refuge WIRE Queensland Housing Association Inc everybodyshome.com.au #Housing4Safety.