But he said this group also had a high chance of being reintegrated with mainstream society with the right intervention.
‘Many of the women we are encountering have lived fairly conventional lives,’ he said.
‘They have worked, usually for minimum wage, lost their jobs and because they often have lower superannuation than men, they have less to fall back on.
‘But because they have worked and lived conventional lives, this is a cohort that probably has the best chance of returning to the community.’
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READ NOWMr Brown said this was the reason why the homeless service, which traditionally helped men, was now focusing on supporting women.
‘Traditionally we have looked after homeless men’