The NSW Government announced a comprehensive $230 million emergency package aimed at bolstering support for victim-survivors of domestic, family, and sexual violence, and at expanding primary preventative programs. Among the initiatives being funded, the standout for us at Women & Children First is the statewide expansion of the “Staying Home Leaving Violence” (SHLV) program – a cause we have relentlessly advocated for.
We celebrate a significant victory not just for us, but for every woman and child in NSW who has ever faced the terror of domestic violence. For years, we have advocated, pleaded, and tirelessly campaigned for the SHLV program not only in Northern Sydney and the Northern Beaches but across the entire country. Our message has been clear: it should be a woman’s right, whether she has children or not, to choose to stay in her home when a man has made it unsafe. The perpetrator should be the one to leave.
Thanks to the NSW Government and the unwavering support of local and federal MPs – Michael Regan, Zali Steggall, Kylea Tink and Dr Sophie Scamps – this policy is set to become a reality across NSW.
We extend our deepest gratitude to these MPs for their commitment to flipping the script on domestic violence. Their support has been pivotal in securing a future where actions have consequences, and abusers are held accountable for their actions. This funding not only expands a crucial program but also starts to address the systems change we have been saying we need, and sends a powerful message that #EnoughIsEnough.
We are also immensely pleased with the NSW Government’s commitment to providing funding for Specialist Case Workers dedicated to every child and young person affected by domestic violence, recognising children and young people as victim-survivors in their own right. This investment in their healing and safety is long overdue, and we wholeheartedly welcome these pivotal changes. Knowing we have the Government’s support to help young people break the cycles of abuse and violence, and we no longer have to do this work unfunded and alone, it is transformative change.
We move forward with renewed vigour and determination, knowing that our voices are being heard and that real change is underway. Let this be a call to action and support for other states and territories to also invest to ensure that no woman has to choose between violence at home and the upheaval of displacement. We appreciate the statement by Premier Minns that his Government is trying to right the wrongs of the past and this is the first step in a larger package of support and change in the way we prevent and respond to men’s violence against women, and the safety of all children and women in our communities. We feel heard and we invite the Premier to listen to the knowledgeable and experienced voices of our frontline workers as more support packages are developed.
We are more than ready for this funding to continue this work, to support our communities, and to collaborate alongside our government and non-government partners to ensure that these changes are just the beginning.
Media release provided by Women & Children First, 6th May 2024