Opening doors for women and children when domestic violence hits home

Family violence is a significant factor for many homeless women but social enterprises such as Fitted for Work, The Big Issue and Women’s Property Initiatives are taking on the challenges. Homeless women need somewhere to live. Landlords need someone to manage their properties. Put the two together and the result is a solution to a significant social issue. Melbourne’s Property Initiatives Real Estate manages apartments for investors and developers, and directs all profitstowards developing long-term housing for women and children in need.Jeanette Large is the chief executive of the agency, which operates as a fixed trust under Women’s Property Initiatives (WPI), a not-for-profit company which develops and owns the properties. Large says most of the women housed have escaped family violence. Indeed, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says one-third of the 520,000 people who sought help from Australian homelessness services between 2011 and 2014 did so because of domestic violence.