Homeless women abused by men who offer shelter

Homeless women in Melbourne, Australia,  are reportedly being abused by men who seek sexual favours in return for shelter.

Women feel obliged to provide sexual favours to men who offer them accommodation because they have nowhere else to go, ‘The Guardian’ quoted Salvation Army as saying.

The government is considering funding a new programme to solve the issue.

Brendan Nottle, of Salvation Army, called for more safe accommodation to protect vulnerable women on the roads.

More accommodation can help such women, he said, adding that, "Some women feel obligated to provide sex if they are seeking accommodation. It has become almost a given that they will offer that up to get somewhere to stay."

A teenager was quoted as saying that she was forced to leave home because of her mother’s abusive partner and she had to endure three abusive relationships and that she had no alternative so she tolerated.  In one incident, they even assaulted and filmed her, she claimed.

According to the report, about 22,000 people are homeless on any given night in Victoria, which is a 20 per cent rise since 2006.

Nationally, there are about 105,000 homeless people, with women comprising a-third of people sleeping rough and a quarter of people in rooming houses, the report added.

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