Victorian Girls Fleeing Family Violence Forced into Survival Sex Amid Housing Crisis

Annie fled a violent family environment in regional Victoria at 14 and was forced into “survival sex” to obtain shelter, enduring abuse from men ranging from drug dealers to businessmen and even women who lured girls to trap houses. The exploitation left her with severe injuries such as a dislocated jaw, a damaged neck joint, and chronic pelvic pain. After years of homelessness, she now lives in transitional housing and accesses ongoing therapy.

Her story, shared with roughly 40 Victorian MPs, reinforces calls from Melbourne City Mission and Orygen Youth Mental Health to fund recommendation 25 of the 2021 royal commission, which would provide up to two years of housing and psychological services for 500 young people with mental-health issues. Advocates cite research showing nine-in-ten homeless girls have experienced family violence and stress the lack of dedicated youth tenancies. Health Minister Ingrid Stitt pledged reforms to integrate housing and mental-health support, but no concrete commitments have been made yet.