Walking back from a coffee run, a former colleague and I spotted a man on the corner of a bustling street. He was on his knees and his head remained bowed as he held up a cardboard sign asking for spare change. Before the pedestrian light changed, I rummaged through the leftover coins from my morning coffee but halted when my colleague said, “I’d give the poor guy some change but he’ll just spend it on drugs, so it’s not really helping.”
It’s a common sentiment that we’ve heard or thought in similar encounters. But, before we make a judgement on whether our few coins are in good hands or not, it’s important to get a clearer picture of homelessness in Australia. Based on a combination of data from the Australian government and various charities, here are three steps to guide our response when faced with the question: ‘Should I give money to this homeless person?’
Identify the (real) causes of homelessness
Reducing homelessness to a drug and alcohol problem is easy when we don’t see the underlying causes and contexts of homelessness. In a relatively wealthy country like Australia where welfare and support systems are accessible, it’s easy to switch into a judgmental mode when we see a homeless person. But contrary to popular belief, homelessness is a complex issue that stems from more than just someone’s lifestyle.
A survey run by a news outlet, Pro Bono, found that 62 per cent of respondents believed that drug addiction was the leading cause of homelessness in Australia but in reality, drug abuse accounts for only six per cent of homeless cases. Homelessness is multifaceted and widespread, affecting more people than we think. According to the Australian Human Rights Commission, roughly one in 200 Australians can’t find a safe, secure or affordable place to sleep. The Human Rights Commission says homelessness is caused by a variety of factors:
- Homelessness is a product of other human rights abuses such as poverty, violence and a lack of affordable housing
- Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness in Australia
- Health issues such as mental illness and social isolation can also contribute to the problem of homelessness
- Circumstances in life such as the death of a loved one, job loss or relationship breakdowns can trigger a chain of events that leads to homelessness
- Housing shortages and the lack of affordable housing is the leading cause of homelessness—In 2018, almost 195,000 Australians were on the waiting list for social housing but the lack of emergency accommodation means approximately 250 people are left without a safe place to sleep.
