In the decade that I’ve been a Member of Parliament and in the past three years as Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, I’ve had the privilege of meeting many victim survivors of domestic and family violence and the specialist workers who support them.
These women told me how important it was for them to be able to access timely support at the most vulnerable time in their lives. When they fled with nothing, these specialist workers were there to keep them and their children safe.
In many instances, I see their faces light up when they speak about their case worker. The one trusted person who helped them find a safe place to live, buy food and toys for their children, and start a new life free from violence.
These women and their children are my ‘why’.
Our ‘why’. Why as a government we had to provide a 50 per cent uplift to funding for domestic and family violence programs in this year’s Budget.
Programs like Staying Home Leaving Violence, that keeps women safe at home when they have left a violent relationship. Or the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service, which provides whole-of-family case management to maximise family safety. Or the Specialist Workers for Children and Young People Program, which has supported more than 5,400 children and their families, helping them break the cycle of violence.
It’s why we’re investing a landmark $184.1 million – the largest across-the-board increase to our core domestic and family violence programs in decades – the first time these programs have received such a significant uplift in funding.
Because these services all do incredibly vital work – providing life-saving support so victim-survivors can leave violence safely and rebuild their lives.
We know services have been stretched and workers have had to make difficult decisions about how much time they can spend with someone.
This new funding will help ease these pressures. It will mean more workers, more money to provide tailored support, and more time with victim-survivors.
Our government is serious about addressing domestic and family violence. This investment stabilises the sector, which allows us to do the long-term reform work to drive down the rates of domestic violence.
This is work that we have already begun: in primary prevention, in early intervention, and in our work to address the use of violence and hold perpetrators to account.
We know there is more work to do.
We will continue to do it together with the sector, victim-survivors, advocates and experts.
We will continue to do it because women and children deserve to live in our community free from violence. They are our ‘why’.
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero / 000.
For confidential advice, support, and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT or 13 YARN.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, call the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, call the Sexual Violence Helpline on 1800 424 017 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For information on Men’s Behaviour Change Programs operating in your local area, contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.