Nowra's Tanya Littler has a smile on her face as she talks openly about one of the most difficult times in her life.
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Three years ago, Tanya was left with nowhere else to go. She had no other option but to live in her car, and between tents and caravans across the South Coast.
But for the past year, she and her two beloved dogs have had a secure roof over their heads, and some days, she still can't believe it.
"Going from a tent to a caravan was amazing," Tanya said.
"And then going from a caravan to a house ... I can't tell you the sense of wellbeing it brings.
"It all feels a little bit surreal sometimes. But I'm here."
Tanya was in a long-term domestic violence situation and as the situation and her mental health worsened, she was left with no other option but to escape.
"I was in a very bad situation in Sydney ... a domestic violence relationship for 12 years," Tanya said.
"It was affecting my mental health really, really badly. I had nobody and oh my god, it felt bad. I just knew that I had to get out of there ... I put my dogs in the car and left."
Tanya, who owned her own property in Sydney and worked as a nurse and disability support worker, "never thought in a million years" she would experience homelessness.
But she wants others to know it can happen to anyone.
"It can happen to anyone when you least expect it, male or female," Tanya said.
"I think many women are also at risk. Many are in unsafe situations but they're frightened to leave."
Tanya said battling the trauma of domestic violence and homelessness made it near impossible to seek housing solutions - but that she could no longer bear living in a tent at Burrier in the middle of summer, or at caravan parks where she felt unsafe.
"I was given a tent by Safewaters in Ulladulla who helped me set it up," she said.
"But I just couldn't bear it any longer. You couldn't stand up, there was no phone service, I felt trapped and isolated.
"They referred me to Salt who helped me into a caravan park, but it wasn't a good place for me."
Tanya was just one of the hundreds on a waitlist for housing in the Shoalhaven - and attributes her success to Salt Care, a Bomaderry not-for-profit providing relief to those sleeping rough in the region.
"They've been wonderful to me ... I couldn't have done it without them," Tanya said.
"They've helped with NDIS support, they made sure that they organised the Red Cross to ring me at 10am every morning."
Chief executive of Salt Ministries, Peter Dover, said there is an alarming rise in the number of women fleeing domestic violence in the region left with nowhere to go.
"What's increasing is the single mum who is fleeing domestic violence and needs somewhere safe," he said. "And there's just not enough places."
Supported Accommodation and Homelessness Services Shoalhaven Illawarra (SAHSSI) manager, Lesley Labka, said domestic violence in the region has remained high - but steady - over the past five years.
But the worsening housing crisis has tightened resources, making it increasingly difficult to secure a stable home for women fleeing violence.
"The homeless hub has seen a 39 per cent increase in homelessness since last year," Ms Labka said.
"This means there's a drain on resources and getting a quick, safe, sustainable housing outcome for a woman fleeing domestic and family violence becomes increasingly difficult.
"If she's a single woman, and she's on a pension, then she's going to really struggle to find something affordable in the Shoalhaven."
With a five to ten year wait for social housing across the Shoalhaven - Ms Labka said the problem fundamentally lies with a lack of housing stock.
"We are so short of public social housing in the Shoalhaven," she said.
"I don't believe that the private rental market alone can meet the needs, particularly for women fleeing domestic and family violence, they need reliable housing, they need stable housing, and they need an understanding landlord.
"There's just not enough stock."
If you or anyone you know needs help, please call:
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 551 800
MensLine Australia 1300 789 978
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36
Headspace 1800 650 890
QLife 1800 184 527
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
