‘Shine A Light’ on wāhine experiencing Homelessness in Aotearoa

Bringing the stats of wāhine and homelessness into the light

Did you know that according to census results in 2018, wāhine account for 50.5% of severely housing-deprived people? 

This year we are seeing the numbers of wāhine needing our services rising.  

As part of our advocacy campaign, we’re shining a light on the struggles homeless wāhine face, the reality of homelessness and how the Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust supports women who find themselves in these situations, which are more common than many people think.

How can homelessness present for wāhine?

Research by Allen + Clarke found that homeless wāhine often live in tents or cars, ‘couch surf’ or sleep in waiting rooms instead of sleeping on the street like homeless men typically do.  Wāhine may move around frequently to find new or safer places to sleep.  

Wāhine tend to rely on overcrowded shelters, stay with violent partners, or exchange sex for accommodation in order to stay off the street. This means they are not as easily identified in traditional counts of homelessness statistics compared to men, who are more commonly situated in places and spaces where their need for help is more visible. 

Board Chair of Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust, Jo Cribb says

“I’m often asked, why the Wellington Women’s Homeless Trust? Why dedicate a service to supporting solely wāhine? Well, it's obvious in many ways. Wāhine experiences of homelessness are different from men’s experiences.” 

The prevalence of wāhine homelessness is also often inadequately captured in official statistics and qualitative research as they are often invisible to the services designed to support them. 

What do the statistics say?

In 2021, a study of a 390 person Housing First (a social housing initiative) cohort identified that 210 (53.8%) were wāhine. The study also identified that 73.1% of the cohort were Māori, and wāhine were much more likely to have children, with 81.4% having children compared to 61.7% of men. Wāhine were also more likely to have four or more children than men. 

Most wāhine in the Housing First cohort were aged 25-44 which is also the age range where wāhine are most likely to be responsible for children. This figure hits home as it correlates with what we see in our whare, where the average age for women in need is about 36 years of age.

Statistics on homelessness among wāhine are potentially limited by the fact that it is often hidden from plain sight and characterised by unstable or unsafe living arrangements.

“Wāhine do not have to be invisible. Help us shine a light on wāhine homelessness by joining us over the next few months as we raise awareness for a topic that has for too long been in the dark,” says Hiria Tareha

Find out more about WHWT: www.whwt.org.nz/services
Link to full report: www.whwt.org.nz/journal/allen-and-clarke-2022-review

#WHWT #MakeItVisable #ShineALight #Wāhine #Homelessness #Aotearoa