SA Liberals promise $9 million for crisis housing for family, domestic violence victims if elected

CRISIS accommodation for women and children fleeing violent households is at the centre of a Liberal election pledge to stem the rising toll of family violence.

• ELECTION HQ: All the latest news, analysis for SA Votes 2018
• Where’s the help to protect women, kids this election?
• Legal aid plea as thousands of at-risk women miss out

CRISIS accommodation for women and children fleeing violent households is at the centre of a Liberal election pledge to stem the rising toll of family violence.

Liberal Leader Steven Marshall has promised $4 million for three new shelters and $5 million for non-government organisations to expand existing accommodation.

If elected on March 17, Mr Marshall said a Liberal Government would either build or buy and refurbish buildings to open a 20-bed home in suburban Adelaide and two 10-bed shelters in regional parts of the state.

The Advertiser has launched the #Engage4ChangeSA campaign to push for policy commitments from our political leaders ahead of the March 17 state election.

They would be open within two years and would enable mothers to stay with their children, he promised.

Enabling families to bring their pets with them would also be considered.

Mr Marshall said non-government organisations would be able to apply for up to $5 million in interest-free, 20-year loans to expand, renovate or upgrade their facilities.

At least 35 South Australians have died as a result of family violence since mid-2010 and almost 300 families — including infants — spent the festive season in motels or shelters.

“No woman should be living in a dangerous situation,” Mr Marshall said.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall Picture: AAP / Matt Loxton

“Too often what we find is that women and their children are staying in a dangerous situation because they are unable to get crisis accommodation.

“Many women are forced to sleep in their cars, sleep rough, stay at friends’ houses, in some cases be put up in hotel rooms by the government.”

Liberal human services spokeswoman Michelle Lensink said families could stay in the new accommodation from a matter of days to months if needed.

Ms Lensink said the Women’s Safety Service of SA had warned it “just can’t provide for all of the families in need”.

“From talking to women who’ve fled these situations, there is not enough crisis accommodation. Particularly if they’ve got children, that can sometimes mean that they return to a dangerous situation,” she said.

“That is sometimes the most dangerous time for incidents of violence to take place.”

The state’s political leaders have been under growing pressure from frontline workers to deliver a massive injection of funding to the sector to make a meaningful impact on domestic violence rates in South Australia.

The Advertiser on Monday revealed the sector’s list of funding priorities, which included more short-term crisis accommodation options.

The new St Vincent de Paul Society Women’s Crisis Centre, which opened in November was immediately at capacity, housing 20 families.

Figures provided to The Advertiser by the Women’s Safety Service show there are between 44 and 55 families who have experienced abuse living in shelters in each of Adelaide’s eastern, western, southern and northern regions.

Up to 30 groups of women and children have to be referred to motels.

Most women seeking shelter arrive with children, ranging from as young as two months old to around age 12, and few belongings.

The State Government says it funds 77 crisis accommodation units and 243 short-term and transitional beds for family violence victims across SA.

For help, phone 1800 RESPECT, or the SA Domestic Violence Crisis Line on 1800 800 098.