YWCA Canberra’s report into the 2025 Our Lives survey has been released.
The 2025 Our Lives survey received nearly 2,800 responses from women and non-binary people across the ACT and region.
The survey provides a strong understanding of the lives of Canberra women and tracks personal safety, financial wellbeing, housing, and future perspectives.
The Our Lives survey has been conducted every two years since 2019. It is a core component of YWCA Canberra’s advocacy profile. Legislators, policy makers and community advocates are encouraged to engage with the report’s findings.
The value of the Our Lives survey is how it connects with women across Canberra regardless of their circumstance.
This year saw strong responses received by highly vulnerable Canberrans, including more than 120 people who had recently accessed homelessness services.
‘Increasingly, this cohort is working full-time. When we conducted the survey in 2023, 36% of those who had accessed homeless services were working full-time.’
‘Now, that number is nearly 50%. And we have seen a similar increase in the proportion of parents. This has significant implications on the capacity of homeless services in Canberra to meet increasing and complex demand
– Frances Crimmins, YWCA Canberra CEO.
The survey findings also point to the persistence of domestic, family, or interpersonal violence, with 17% of all respondents saying they had experienced violence in the last 12 months. According to the findings, young people aged 16-19 were the most likely age bracket to experience violence.
‘Violence is not inevitable and every one of these responses reflects a failure in public policy and whether existing prevention strategies, particularly for young people, are adequate’ – Ms Crimmins said.
YWCA Canberra partnered with local for-purpose consultancy Sustineo in developing and analysing the survey.
YWCA Canberra will host a free launch event at The Street Theatre on 5 December, with arrivals from 11:30am and a panel of local community sector leaders.
Amy Kilpatrick – CEO of Care Financial
Robyn Martin – CEO of Beryl Women Inc
Isabel Moss – Canberra Community Law
Ngoc Trinh – Consultant with Sustineo
Lucy Gramenz – Greater Canberra
The Street Theatre has generously sponsored the venue to help broaden the event’s reach.
The report of the survey’s findings are available at this link.
YWCA Canberra media contact:
Eleanor Sander O’Hearn
Executive Director Communications Advocacy and Engagement
eleanor.sanderohearn@ywca-canberra.org.au
0475 240 101