More help available to women experiencing domestic violence Critical

By Sarah Waters

Critical funding will soon be available to all women in the Northern Rivers, and right across Australia, who finds themselves in a situation where they are experiencing domestic violence and need to escape.

Last week, the Federal Government announced it will invest $925m over five years from mid next year to permanently establish the Leaving Violence Program (LVP).

This will allow women escaping violence to access up to $5000 in financial support along with referral services, risk assessments and safety planning.

Intimate partner violence is a problem of epidemic proportions in Australia, with a quarter of all Australian women having experienced it in their lifetime.

Prime Minister Albanese declared violence against women to be a ‘national crisis and national challenge’ after the alleged murders of 28 women at the hands of men this year.

The Federal Government also announced it will introduce a suite of online measures to prevent children and young people accessing pornography and to tackle extreme online misogyny, which is fuelling harmful attitudes towards women.

It will also introduce legislation to ban the creation and nonconsensual distribution of fake pornography.

Creating and sharing sexually explicit material without consent, using technology like artificial intelligence, will be subject to serious criminal penalties.

In addition, a new phase of the Stop it at the Start campaign will launch in mid-June and run until May next year.

It will specifically include a ‘counterinfluencing campaign’ in online spaces where violent and misogynistic content thrives, to directly challenge the material in the spaces that’s being viewed.

Federal member for Richmond Justine Elliot, who is also the assistant minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, said the scourge of violence against women is a national crisis, and a national shame.

Ms Elliot said the $925.2 million investment ensures that victim-survivors of domestic abuse are supported to make choices about leaving relationships and can build a better life for them and their children.

“We know how vital this program is. Based on the uptake of the current trial, it is estimated the Leaving Violence Program will support approximately 36,700 victim-survivors each year, right across the nation,” she said.

Through the government’s Housing Australian Future Fund, 4000 homes have been provided for women and children impacted by domestic and family violence.

While, the government has committed another $100 million towards the Safe Places Emergency

Accommodation Program, which provides grants to fund the building, renovation or purchase of new emergency accommodation for women and children experiencing violence.

If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via www.1800RESPECT. org.au , or text 0458 737 732.

If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit http://www.ntv.org.au.

The Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre provides the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service for free.

This local service supports women and children who are experiencing family violence or domestic violence.

The centre has a specialist worker to help Aboriginal women, and it can also help women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

For more information visit: northernriversclc. org.au