I'm currently at risk of becoming homeless due to family violence (male husband & financial abuse). I have a 4.5 year old child and the prospect of moving into women's housing is very distressing, especially considering that up until a few months ago we had a materially secure lifestyle living in an affluent suburb of Melbourne.
Sacred Heart Mission is the organisation that provides housing for women in my circumstances. I noticed on their website that they are a "women-only facility", however their website states explicitly that their services are for "trans and cis" individuals, i.e., they welcome men.
This made my stomach drop to think that I may be needing shelter my daughter in a space that men can also access. I am also fearful of sharing personal space with men due to a history of multiple rapes, sexual assault and sexual harassment by males (men). My daughter is also fearful of men due to witnessing her mother be verbally abused by a male partner.
Men using women's spaces does impact women. I am one example of this.