44.
That is the average age at which individuals experiencing homelessness are dying in Australia.
The recent Guardian Australia series unpacking the deaths of our fellow Australians experiencing homelessness is truly jarring, yet it is a harsh reality that we can no longer overlook.
I vividly recall my initial encounter with this reality through our work at We Are Mobilise. In 2018, we spent a remarkable weekend in New South Wales and had the pleasure of meeting a lovely couple with whom we spent several days.
However, it wasn’t until a few years later, in 2022, that I reconnected with the man from that encounter. I inquired about his partner, and I can still recall the anguish in his eyes as he struggled to utter the words – the pain evidently still fresh.
She would have been younger than 44. He recounted how she was unable to access the necessary healthcare support while living on the streets, and he had to witness her gradual decline.
Now, let’s delve into some statistics: 122,000.
This is the number of our fellow Australians who face homelessness on any given night. While we are all familiar with the ‘visible face of homelessness’ – individuals sleeping rough – it might come as a surprise to learn that only 7% of those experiencing homelessness are in this situation.
The remaining 93%, comprising over 100,000 Australians, are defined as homeless on any given night, whether they are couchsurfing, sleeping in their cars, or inhabiting accommodation that is unsafe or fails to meet minimum standards.
Homelessness is a pressing issue that demands our attention.
More importantly, it is a challenge that we all have a role in playing to address. It need not be an inevitable aspect of life, and this article serves as a poignant reminder that by turning a blind eye, we are complicit in the real consequences that ensue.
