Media Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaWarning: Strong languageOfficial homelessness statistics are a fraction of the numbers that charities claim to exist. Is someone sugarcoating the data? Is it a genuine mistake? Or are we looking in wrong places?With fines and sentences for sleeping on the streets, the UK and many other countries make no apologies for targeting rough sleeping. Temporary accommodation facilities earn private contractors hundreds of millions in state benefits every year. But are they actually helping, or just keeping the problem behind closed doors?This week, Media Storm speaks to people who are and have been homeless. They expose some disconcerting truths about these state-supported lodgings, systemic attempts to remove vulnerable people from public view, and the catastrophic levels of homelessness lying hidden in the wings. Comedian Kai Samra joins us in the studio to take a look at some of the latest headlines on homelessness, and discuss what reporting on the topic often gets wrong. Your hosts:Mathilda Mallinson @mathildamallHelena Wada @helenawadiaYour guests:Kai Samra @kaisamraBenjay Crossman @benjaycrossmanEarl Charlton @earljc78 @nehest2014Kerri Douglas @kerridouglas18Paul Atherton @LondonersLondonSources:Introductory statistics: (official 1) https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2020/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2020 ; (official 2) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1050291/Statutory_Homelessness_Stats_Release_July-September_2021.pdf ; (Crisis) https://www.crisis.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/227-000-households-across-britain-are-experiencing-the-worst-forms-of-homelessness/)Profits for accommodation providers: https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/27/hostels-from-hell-the-supported-housing-that-blights-birminghamCare leavers: (Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/nov/11/we-are-failing-children-in-care-and-they-are-dying-on-our-streets ; (official) https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8429/CBP-8429.pdfVagrancy Act: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7836/Prison releases: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1006474/2021_Q4_CPT_publication.pdfGet in touchFollow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/mediastormpodor Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mediastormpodor Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@mediastormpodlike us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MediaStormPodsend us an email mediastormpodcast@gmail.comcheck out our website https://mediastormpodcast.comMusic by Samfire @soundofsamfire. Artwork by Simba Baylon @simbalenciaga.Media Storm is brought to you by the house of The Guilty Feminist and is part of the Acast Creator Network. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.