UNTOLD STORIES
Joanah
Government Official law enforcement
​"Success in a male-dominated field is no easy feat, and I worked tirelessly to achieve mine. I had everything anyone could want, but it all came crashing down when a lawsuit was brought against me. It was ironic that I was innocent, simply following the wishes of my client. Despite this, I lost the case and my license to practice law enforcement.I then lost my high income, my home, and everything else I owned to pay bills. I didn't know how to do anything else but law enforcement. Before I knew it, I ran out of money and found myself homeless, and sleeping in my car with my cat. I relied on food vouchers for survival. Unfortunately, finding a shelter that would accept my feline companion proved impossible. I felt utterly lost and depressed, with nowhere to call home, I didn't know where to go"​
Tess
Sales Manager
"I worked for a famous designer label company as Sales Associate, I loved my job despite the long hours. We had a flirty boss, but the girls always ignored his advances. I found myself cornered by him in the tea room, with no one else to go, he grabbed my neck and pinned me to the cupboard, I looked at the door hoping someone would walk in (details withheld). From the results of what happened that day, I could no longer work with the anxiety I developed was extreme, I had PSTD and was non functioning I found myself homeless and stayed at a shelter, it was so basic I thought did we live in 3rd world, but I had no choice, there was no help in terms regular meals, guidance, planning, healing or anything. I began developing serious mental health problems".
Rose
Mother
"We migrated to Australia 5 years ago, I was so happy to come here, beautiful beaches, kangaroos and nature. I was looking forward to a new life because in my country women are chaperoned by a male on outings, even to buy food and Australia was a free country.It was just the two of us, we had no children as yet but was planning to have a family once here. We looked for a home. I didn't drive so I wasn't planning on going anywhere but to take a walk around the front garden and how I could make it pretty. I found the front door locked. I couldn't find the keys. I was shocked the back door was also locked. I rang my husband he didn't answer. When he got home he was angry I tried to ring him while he was working, he took my phone off me, I began to cry. Then it all began. I wasn't allowed out, I become a prisoner of my home, I became his sex slave. I fell pregnant and gave birth with a midwife at home. He was always by my side if anyone came to the house. I had to find a way to escape. It took me nearly 3 years to find a way to escape but I did. I didn't have my passport, I knew little English, I didn't know where to go, where would I and my child be safe that he couldn't find me, if I went to a shelter I thought he may find me, if he found me, that would be the end of me for bringing shame to his name. I wasn't safe anywhere.... I became homeless, looking for food for us anywhere I could" ​
BEC
Homeless at 15
"I was 15 when I become homeless. I went to a shelter, it was a house for teenagers, while there one night, I became pregnant. . I left that shelter the next day and wondered from shelter to shelter trying to find a place to feel safe. I remember one of the days, I was walking in the streets, it started to pour with rain, the rain was so heavy and cold, I was 5 months pregnant, hungry and tired, I didn't know where to go, so I just laid down on the bench at bus stop to sleep, I felt safer there outside,
than going back to a shelter.