DOMESTIC violence affects one-third of all Australian woman over the age of 15, and the Great Lakes area is among those feeling the pinch of insufficient services for women in particular seeking refuge from a violent home life.
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The Great Lakes Council has pledged its support to the Forster Neighbourhood Centre as it looks for grant funding to supply more short term emergency accommodation.
There has been a growing strain on crisis accommodation in the region, as Taree Women’s and Children’s Refuge has seen an increase in requests for admissions. There is no similar service available in the Great Lakes, which ranks 26 out of 140 local government areas for incidents of domestic violence.
It is a problem being felt state-wide, and the NSW Government has released proposed reforms to improve the response to domestic and family violence for public comment.
People have until July 23 to respond to the reforms, which have been developed through consultation with more than 300 domestic and family violence experts from more than 50 non-government and government agencies.
“The ‘It Stops Here: Standing together to end domestic and family violence’ reforms recommend a range of initiatives that will better support victims of domestic and family violence in our community who face a serious threat to their safety,” Member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead said.
“Any member of the public can share their views, but I especially urge people in the Manning and Great Lakes who work in jobs that support or respond to domestic and family violence victims, to do so.”
The importance of reform has been highlighted by state statistics revealing that, for women aged under 45, domestic and family violence is the greatest cause of death, ill health and disability.
The reforms recognised the Great Lakes was not alone in lacking crisis accommodation.
A NSW Parliament Standing Committee on Social Issues report showed the availability of emergency accommodation and housing needed to be improved.
There was also a need for better case management for victims, more services such as counselling and legal advice, and improved programs for perpetrators.
The reforms propose significant changes to the way services are delivered and funded, with a focus on an integrated approach across all agencies, including police, child care workers and other care providers.
The reforms focus on using a common risk identification tool across agencies for a collaborative approach, creating a central referral point to guide people between services, and holding meetings where information on high risk families can be shared.
To read the reforms in full, visit the NSW Government’s ‘Have Your Say’ website www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au.