Hidden homeless women are being missed from official figures, charities warn

Hidden homeless women are being missed from official figures, charities warn8 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMichael BuchananSocial affairs correspondentBBCVictoria roamed London's streets for three years"When people used to see me, they didn't believe I was homeless," Victoria says. She did not look like a rough sleeper and did not drink or take drugs. "So it was hard for people to believe that I was actually homeless."For three years, she roamed London's streets, often around King's Cross railway station. Mental health problems contributed to her homelessness, but being on the streets exacerbated them."I wasn't sleeping because I had lots of luggage and King's Cross is bad for thieves," the 31-year-old says. "If I tried to sleep in the toilets, the staff would come banging on the door, telling me to get out. It was hard."Passing herself off as just another passenger meant it was harder to spot Victoria's homelessness. But the station's busyness and its security cameras gave her a greater sense of security, as did the constant presence of staff and police officers.A new survey suggests there are more women like Victoria in England than ever before. A women's rough sleeping census carried out by two charities - Solace Women's Aid and the Single Homeless Project - found that 1,406 women had slept rough in the previous three months. Where the numbers were able to be compared to official government data, the census found 10 times as many female rough sleepers.Homeless outreach workers Eabha and ElisePatrolling King's Cross and the surrounding streets, homeless outreach workers Eabha and Elise say they find women in unexpected places. "They can be really tucked away in parks, behind the bushes," says Elise.Eabha adds that overnight, some women might be on night buses or trains. "Places like A&E can be quite popular spots, just sitting there an...