Domestic Violence Crisis Line to answer calls 24 hours a day

People trying to escape abusive relationships can call a domestic violence crisis hotline at any time of day or night from today.

People trying to escape abusive relationships can call a domestic violence crisis hotline at any time of day or night from today.

And emergency help will be available at the touch of a button through a new smartphone app.

The measures come as Legal Services Commission figures show the number of Magistrates Court cases involving domestic violence, where legal aid funding was granted, grew by 28 per cent in a year. Last financial year, 1642 such cases came before the court.

A State Government commitment of $400,000 a year has enabled the Women’s Safety Service to hire extra staff to answer calls to the Domestic Violence Crisis Line around the clock.

Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink urged anyone at risk to call the free, confidential hotline to receive one-on-one support to create a safety plan, which could include being given access to the new app.

The Government paid $150,000 to an Adelaide-based company to develop the app, which Ms Lensink said “could quite literally be a lifesaver for women in our community facing violent situations at home”.

The app is monitored 24/7 and directly connects users to police and domestic violence support services.

Ms Lensink said safety concerns meant she was not able to reveal details of how the app worked, or its name, to “ensure perpetrators (of abuse) are not aware of it”. Until now, specialist domestic violence workers were available to take calls to the hotline — which has operated for 29 years — only during business hours.

A worker answers the phone at the Domestic Violence Crisis Line call centre. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Overnight and on weekends, callers were diverted to a homelessness hotline, where workers could help people fleeing abusive households but were less able to advise on other concerns such as emotional or financial abuse, or provide early intervention.

Last financial year, the domestic violence hotline responded to 7576 calls.

Women’s Safety Services SA director of services Ginny Cisneros said the extra funding had gone to recruiting, training and employing a team of specialist counsellors to provide “around the clock support”. “What we’d like women to know is that you’re not alone, you’re just a phone call away from someone who can help,” she said.

Ms Lensink said the extended hotline hours and new smartphone app would enable “hundreds more women living in a violent or abusive relationship … to access immediate, specialist support when they need help most”.

For support phone the Domestic Violence Crisis Line on 1800 800 098

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