Lack of female-only homes puts safety at risk - report

Some women described sharing accommodation with men as 're-traumatising'

Homeless women in a city face a "critical threat" by a lack of female-only temporary accommodation, a group of academics have said.

A report by the University of Manchester found many felt unsafe staying in mixed-gender homes with men who have criminal records.

The authors have called for local authorities to ensure a minimum number of women-only temporary homes.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority has been contacted for comment.

'Re-traumatised'

The findings come after Isis Barei-Guyot, Dr Alison Briggs and Dr Elizabeth Ackerley interviewed women who shared their experiences of homelessness.

They found many found themselves sharing space with men who had convictions for domestic violence and sex offences, which created "significant risks to safety".

Some of the women had already experienced "gender-based violence" and said they had been "re-traumatised" by stays in mixed-gender accommodation.

The academics said "overwhelming demand for housing", a lack of social homes, high rents in the private sector, and cuts in public finances had all contributed to the problem.

Among the recommendations included in their report is a call for local authorities in Greater Manchester to make the provision of female-only temporary accommodation a priority.