The chasm between rich and poor: Homeless in the wealthy West | DW Documentary

The gap between rich and poor continues to widen in many developed nations. The result: more and more people are finding themselves homeless, with women making up the fastest growing affected group. They live in their cars or camper vans, sleep on friends’ couches or end up in short-term accommodation: Homelessness in industrialized nations is a growing problem, and increasingly affects the middle class, as well as the poor. While the wealthy can also lose everything, the middle classes are the ones coming under more and more pressure from the ever-present threat of joblessness. It’s a problem also affecting migrants and indigenous communities. Increasingly difficult socio-economic conditions in rich countries are leading to a sharp rise in poverty. The documentary profiles some of those affected in Australia: women who’ve not lost their optimism and humor despite their personal hardship.