Domestic and family violence

The White Paper, The Road Home: A national approach to reducing homelessness, states that domestic and family violence 'continues to be the major driver of homelessness' (Australian Government 2008, p. 7). According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2012, p. 57), in 2011-12, a third (34%) of all people receiving assistance from homelessness services were escaping domestic violence. Among women and children, domestic violence is the primary reason for seeking assistance for homelessness, with up to half of all women attributing their homelessness to violence (Australian Government 2008; AIHW 2011; Chung et al. 2000; Tually et al. 2008).