An Australia report on Monday showed that the cycle of chronic homelessness is strongly linked to severe childhood abuse and neglect.

The first of its kind in Australia, the report is part of the Journey to Social Inclusion pilot project conducted by the Sacred Heart Mission.

Sacred Heart Mission chief executive Michael Perusco said the report, This is Not Living: Chronic Homelessness in Melbourne, involved one-on-one interviews with 84 homeless people in Melbourne of Australia. The report highlights the lack of stability and control felt by people without a permanent home.

According to report co-author Guy Johnson, the study so far confirms that chronic homelessness "does not just happen by accident".

"People's histories are marked by severe childhood abuse and neglect, chronic illness and disrupted education," Dr Johnson said in the report released on Monday.

More than half of the participants were sexually abused growing up, and 63 percent do not feel accepted by society.

Nearly all participants have at least one chronic health condition.

Meanwhile, the report has also found that despite the participants' adverse histories, they have aspirations for the future.

It found few participants accept their way of life, and most of them aspire for a more settled, less stigmatized existence.

Aidan (not his real name), 28, said he fantasizes about the future.

"I always think that I'm going to get my own place, I'm going to join a gym, I'm going to do some dance classes or martial arts classes and I'm going to get a job and it will all be fine, I always think that's what I want to do," he said quoted by the report.

"So hopefully one day I can do all that."

Perusco said in-depth interviews in the report sparked empathy and understanding, and he hopes to report will help to find solution to permanently break the cycle of chronic homelessness.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet