Homeless young Australians desperate to find somewhere to sleep for the night are turning to dating and hook-up apps.
Tatiana Croft from the Salvation Army said that homeless youth in Melbourne’s outer suburbs are using Tinder as a last resort to get a bed for the night.
‘Some people will use Tinder or dating sites to get a warm place to sleep at night,’ Ms Croft told the Herald Sun.
Homeless young Australians desperate to find somewhere to sleep for the night are turning to dating apps (stock image)
Tatiana Croft from Salvation Army said that homeless youth in Melbourne’s outer suburbs are using Tinder as a last resort to get a bed for the night (stock image)
Increase in rates of youth homelessness across the states
Youth homelessness in Australia is increasing
NSW up 117%
Vic up 66%
Qld up 13%
SA up 23%
WA up 2%
Tas up 71%
NT down 15%
ACT up 64%
*data refers to homelessness among those who are 19-24
Source: ABC
‘It should not happen to any young person, but here it does happen daily,’ she added.
There are more than 200 homeless youth in Melbourne’s outer suburbs Frankston and Mornington.
Ms Croft is concerned that homeless youth are at risk of abuse by turning to these dating apps as a last resort.
Richard, 21, an apprentice tradesman from Orange, New South Wales, took to Tinder after an argument with his flatmate left him homeless.
‘I matched with someone, met up with them, stayed the night, and thought I could probably use this to my advantage,’ he told Triple J’s Hack.
‘It was probably one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever done,’ he continued.
Richard, who’s name has been changed to respect his privacy, admitted to using the dating app ten times with five different people to gain access to a bed and shower for the night.
Rate of homelessness among those aged 19-24 has increased by 39 per cent in the last 10 years, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
In Victoria, youth homelessness has increased by 66 per cent and in New South Wales it has more than doubled.
‘Some people will use Tinder or dating sites to get a warm place to sleep at night,’ Tatiana Croft from Salvation Army said (stock image)
Young people who are homeless are turning to dating apps to get a shower and bed for the night (stock image)