Southport charity Support the Girls Australia says homeless women are ‘slipping through the cracks’

Homeless women need empowerment, but often don’t ask for help like their male counterparts.

A Gold Coast charity improving the hygiene standards of the disenfranchised say homeless women are hiding.

Support the Girls Australia commenced its outreach program recently because monthly bra-gifting events at the Southport Community Centre were at capacity.

They provide thousands of women around Australia with lingerie, sanitary products, and toiletries.

Support the Girls Australia provides homeless women on the Gold Coast with sanitary items and bras. However, currently they are struggling as women are not seeking their services. Diane Groweg and Jane Holmes with their support van. Picture: Jerad Williams

But when attending nightly feeds in their truck, known as the Bra-Beast, they see few women.

Support the Girls Australia founder Jane Holmes said this had raised major concerns: “At nightly feeds there are only men. Women are not seeking services and slipping through the cracks.”

Big Issue Queensland operations manager Susie Longman said many homeless women were domestic violence victims or seniors, and do not want to be found due to feeling unsafe and ashamed.

“We require more women-centred services - this is a crisis,” she said.