Why does your TV advertisement feature a woman and dog when most homeless people are men?
Backpack Bed for Homeless supports people sleeping rough across Australia, regardless of gender.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS):
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Approximately 66% of people sleeping rough are men
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Approximately 34% are women
Both men and women experience homelessness, and both face serious risks when sleeping without shelter.
Our Community Service Announcement (CSA) represents one real example of homelessness. Women sleeping rough often face additional vulnerabilities and safety risks, which may not always be visible to the public.
The purpose of our advertising is not to exclude or prioritise one gender over another, but to raise awareness that homelessness affects a broad range of Australians — including men, women, and people with pets.
Our Focus
Our Backpack Bed program:
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Provides a dignified emergency bed when no shelter is available
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Is independently shown to improve warmth, safety, sleep, and wellbeing
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Connects people with local homeless agencies for longer-term support
We distribute to people sleeping rough through over 1,100 partner agencies nationwide, based on need — not gender.