Roz McCall MSP says that the Scottish Government must take action on the increase in people using temporary accommodation.
Ms McCall stated that in official statistics that gender- based homelessness is not recorded, and that many women in temporary accommodation are not accounted for.
Many women who end up in temporary accommodation, are not recorded due to the fact that many forms of temporary accommodation such as staying on a friend’s sofa are not shown within the statistics.
Scottish Women’s Aid say that understanding women’s and their children’s experiences of homelessness is essential if we are to tackle it.
Homelessness within women is mainly cause by domestic, physical or sexual abuse.
Ms McCall has called on the Scottish Government to tackle the scourge of Hidden Women’s Homelessness.
Roz McCall MSP, (Mid-Scotland and Fife) said:
“Gender-based homelessness means that women and men often have different experiences of homelessness. This means we must take different approaches when tackling it.
“Within Fife many women and their children are going through real hardship, and the Scottish Government must do more to tackle it.
“Scottish Women’s Aid are correct to point out that the Scottish Government is not considering the underlying causes of women’s homelessness, and hence is not able to tackle the issue.
“Many members of the Scottish Government talk about lived experiences as a guide to policy, but they are ignoring the lived experiences of these women.
“That is why I am calling on the Scottish Government to take the necessary steps to eradicate Women’s Hidden Homelessness.”
