I used to think that I knew what a homeless person looked like. I thought that maybe their bad choices that had put them on the street; perhaps they had an addiction, no family support, a lack of education or simply no drive to improve their circumstances. How wrong was I?
Almost overnight, my life changed dramatically when the relationship I was in broke down due to domestic violence. I had to flee that situation, leave my job and with that, shatter all my dreams. I became a single mother with no security, and for the first time in my life, I knew what it was like to struggle.
But I survived. I moved to the suburbs, rented an apartment and took a casual job as a cleaner as my daughter started school.
In 2008 I decided to go back to university to update my qualifications as a graphic designer. I wanted to get a good job to support myself and my daughter.
Financially, things got worse. My rent increased, my daughter’s child support was not being paid and I was getting deeper into debt.
I sold everything we owned to try and stay in my private rental but eventually I was evicted.
Now with a bad rental history, no bond and no job, my chance of getting back into the private rental market was virtually impossible. I was homeless.