[Skip to Content]
Research | Crisis's harrowing findings on abuse of rough sleepers

Research | Crisis's harrowing findings on abuse of rough sleepers

Research | Crisis's harrowing findings on abuse of rough sleepers

Thursday, December 21, 2023

“The first thing that jumped into my mind was this: if I survive this night then perhaps, I would survive another night, and another night, and another night.” This was the sobering testimony of one person interviewed by Crisis. “I couldn’t sleep, and to this very day I still can’t sleep properly living rough”.

As hundreds of Londoners face the prospect of Christmas on the streets, Crisis has released the findings from their devastating investigation into the appalling extent of the abuse people sleeping rough routinely experience - most commonly at the hands of members of the public.

Key horrendous figures include that:

  • Nine in ten people sleeping rough in England have experienced violence or abuse.
  • Three quarters (75%) had been robbed and more than half (53%) had had items – including bricks and beer cans – thrown at them.
  • In the vast majority of cases (70%), the perpetrator of the last incident experienced by respondents was a member of the public.

Crisis also identifies some of the most common structural circumstances forcing people onto the street to begin with:

  • The most recent government statistics estimate a staggering 74% increase in people sleeping rough since 2010.
  • More than half (52%) of those surveyed had experienced issues with the cost of living prior to becoming homeless, having been unable to afford basics like food and heating.
  • Nearly half (47%) had issues with the cost of rent.

And offers statistics proving how effective timely and empathetic intervention can be:

  • Last year, two-thirds of the guests who stayed in Crisis’ longer-stay hotel in London, which hosted guests for five weeks, did not return to the streets.
  • And a month later, 85% of guests weren’t seen sleeping rough in the city.

 

Read Crisis' full and shocking findings HERE

 

News and Views

collapse/expand
  • Brain Injury Guidance

    Brain Injury Guidance

    Leigh Andrews of Change Communication offered specialist advice on brain injuries and homelessness through a digital...
  • End Furniture Poverty Survey

    End Furniture Poverty Survey

    End Furniture Poverty have recently spoken with the Frontline Network to discuss their important ongoing survey, seek...
  • Cover the Cost Campaign

    Cover the Cost Campaign

    Jasmine Basran, Senior Policy Officer at Crisis, talks to us about the Cover the Cost Campaign, asking the Government...
  • VRF Impact Report 2018/19

    VRF Impact Report 2018/19

    Over the past year we have given out 3827 grants totaling £1,156,805 through the VRF. Read the latest Impact Report t...
  • Influence from the Frontline

    Influence from the Frontline

    Frontline workers are crucial at giving insight into the viewpoints of the people they work with as well as the chall...
  • The Vagrancy Act

    The Vagrancy Act

    Crisis, along with others including Homeless Link, Cymorth Cymru, Centrepoint, St Mungo’s, Shelter Cymru and the Wall...
  • Influencing local decisions

    Influencing local decisions

    Zoe, Frontline Network Coordinator at Coventry Citizens Advice, talks to us about the Coventry Frontline Network and...
  • The Litigant in Person Network

    The Litigant in Person Network

    Martha de la Roche, Network Development Manager at Litigant in Person Network (LiP Network), tells us about The LiP N...
  • VRF Impact Report

    VRF Impact Report

    Find out what impact VRF had last year and how to get involved in shaping its direction in the coming year.
  • Housing First Scotland

    Housing First Scotland

    Please see here for the first issue of Housing First Connect - a twice-yearly newsletter for Scotland’s new Housing F...
  • Slaying the Dragon

    Slaying the Dragon

    Will Golding, Edinburgh Tutor at Crisis, talks to us about 'Slaying the Dragon'.
  • CPAG - Early Warning System

    CPAG - Early Warning System

    Dan Norris, from CPAG, talks to us about a new Early Warning System to record the impact of benefit changes implement...
  • The Hostile Environment

    The Hostile Environment

    Bethan Lant, a Project lead from Praxis, writes about the creation of a hostile environment for migrants and refugees.
  • Wrexham’s Crisis Cafe

    Wrexham’s Crisis Cafe

    Sinead Kelleher writes about Wrexham's Crisis Cafe, a multi-agency response to Universal Credit.
  • Frontline Worker Survey

    Frontline Worker Survey

    We are asking frontline workers to participate in a survey, aimed at those working with clients who are experiencing...
  • A map through conflict

    A map through conflict

    A Cyrenians Mediator writes about their innovative Amber Mediation and Support Project, a model of mediation and supp...
  • “A place to call home"

    “A place to call home"

    Hannah Gousy was seconded from Crisis to the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) to help design policy recommendations to...
  • A London Nightshelter

    A London Nightshelter

    On 7 November we opened our church-based shelters for the winter with more churches signed on then ever before. Glass...
  • 'Step Up' at The Connection

    'Step Up' at The Connection

    Wyn Newman introduces the volunteer programme 'Step Up' that has been developed at The Connection for service users.