Donna Ward says there's a 'singlehood penalty' for women like her. Australia-first research backs her up

Donna Ward is advocating for a national conversation about the disadvantages single women without children experience. (ABC RN: Anna Kelsey-Sugg)

At 68 and single, Donna Ward attracts a lot of assumptions.

People around her tend to assume, for example, that she's separated or divorced (she's not), has grown children (she doesn't) and that a single income easily covers the cost of single living (it doesn't).