Where are the Homeless? |
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| Homeless people are in all cities and towns in Australia - not just in large cities. |
Who are the Homeless?
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Individuals & families living in accommodation which falls below
general community standards:
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Sleep out in Brisbane |
- detrimental to physical and mental well-being
- no access to personal amenities
- no security, privacy and autonomy
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Where do they sleep
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- on the streets and parks
- squatting in abandoned buildings
- in a car
- with friends or extended family
- emergency accommodation & youth refuges
- boarding house, caravan park or hotel
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How many are Homeless? (2006 ABS Census) |
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- There are over 104,600 homeless in Australia:
- Sleeping rough 16,375
- Boarding houses 21,596
- SAAP (Supported Accommodation Assistance Program) accommodation 19,849
- Friends & Relatives 46,856
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Justin is real |
How did they become homeless? |
- Accident at work
- Family problems - violence, sexual abuse, assault
- Relationship breakdown
- Periods of mental illness
- Gambling addiction
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Unemployment / Financial problems / Eviction
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Facts
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- Most people on park benches don’t want to be there
- 30% of street sleeping homeless in Sydney and 16% in Melbourne have sufered hypothermia, frostbite or trenchfoot
- Some Homeless people are too scared to ask for help
- Many Homeless are men with kids
- 44% of Homeless are women
- UK Study - homeless that sleep rough are 35 times more likely to committ suicide than the general population
- UK Study - rough sleepers have an average life expectancy of 42 years compared to national average 74 for men and 79 for women
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Cost of Homelessness
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- People with out basic goods (eg. swags) can be driven to petty crime
- Some will be forced into sexual exploitation
- The above often leads to various forms of substance abuse & addiction. All of which promotes a wide array of anti-social behavior . . . involving substantial problems and costs for our community.
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