The risk of becoming homeless is unacceptably high for too many Australian women. Addressing housing insecurity before women reach crisis point and find themselves without a secure home is an urgent challenge requiring a collaborative, community-wide response. The greatest cause of homelessness in Australia is domestic and family violence, which forces women and their children out of the family home, often with nowhere to go.

This report sets out the facts and challenges of housing insecurity among women in Australia and proposes intervention points for social purpose impact investors, institutional investors and philanthropists to make a meaningful and effective contribution to mitigating the risk of more women falling into homelessness. 

Key findings

• Women without their own home are hidden by census statistics, as they manage their homelessness differently to men.
• There are particular social and economic factors that contribute to women’s risk of homelessness.
• Older women, especially those who are divorced or widowed, women who live alone or with dependent children in private rental accommodation, women who are not in full time employment, and those fleeing family violence are most at risk.
• The risk is especially severe among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and those from first generation non-English speaking immigrant backgrounds.