DV survivor Diana Connell co-designs $6m Safe at Home Geelong trial

A mother battling cancer, forced into homelessness with her two children after fleeing a violent home, has co-designed a program to help fellow survivors.

Diana Connell and her children were forced to flee her home after her husband became violent. Credit: Photoform*

A domestic violence survivor who was forced to live in a McDonald’s carpark with her two children while battling cancer has co-designed a Victorian-first family violence trial based in Geelong.

Diana Connell and her children were forced to flee their home after her husband became violent.

“I was living and working on a farm with my husband, who was a person who was using violence,” she said.

“I was forced to flee our family home.

“The grief was overwhelming as I lost my home, community and life.

“Having worked with the perpetrator on our farm, it meant I was walking away from every single piece of everything that I knew.”

Diana Connell (left), pictured with daughter Emma, helped co-design a state-first program trial based in Geelong. Credit: Photoform*

The difficult decision forced Ms Connell into homelessness, living out of a vehicle in a McDonald’s carpark.

“I had no other choice,” she said.

“(We) lived in a car for what felt like an eternity, while I was also battling cancer at the time, and my son was finishing year 12.

“As you can imagine, his education was impacted hugely by the traumatic experience of living in a car, with none of the conveniences of home.”

Ms Connell’s daughter, Emma, was completing university at the same time.

“You lose your community, your school, mental and physical health,” Ms Connell said.

“It’s still a massive problem for us because it’s so traumatic.”

Over the past four years, Ms Connell has been working with Geelong-based organisations Meli and McAuley to advise on a state-first Safe at Home program trial.

The three-year trial will see 54 victim-survivors, like Ms Connell, remain in their homes and community while the perpetrator is removed and given support to change their behaviour.

Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Natalie Hutchins announced in Geelong on Friday the state government would invest $6m to support the program.

Ms Connell said she believed the availability of an early intervention approach like Safe at Home would have been life changing for her children.

“(We) would have been able to remain safely in our home and retain connections to our community,” she said.

“(It) would have resulted in very different outcomes.”

Originally published as DV survivor Diana Connell co-designs $6m Safe at Home Geelong trial