Millions announced for Helem Yumba CentacareCQ to provide DV support
After local domestic violence support agencies saw demand for help soar during the pandemic, two local organisations will work together to expand DV support services across CQ thanks to millions in funding. Here’s how.
Rockhampton
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During the pandemic, domestic and family violence services across Central Queensland have seen an increase in demand, with first nations women “over represented” in domestic violence statistics.
Now, two CQ organisations are joining forces to deliver support for those escaping DV and also providing intervention programs for perpetrators.
This week the Queensland Government announced $7.1 million in funding for Centacare CQ and Helem Yumba to work to deliver the support and programs right across the CQ region including in Longreach, Rockhampton, Blackwater, Emerald and Yeppoon.
The partnership will provide counselling support for women and children, court-based support and perpetrator intervention programs for men.
The funding announcement comes a week after Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk released the Queensland Women’s Strategy.
“We know that during Covid we have seen many more women reaching out for help as a result of domestic and family violence, we’ve seen applications for domestic violence orders here in Central Queensland on the rise, as well as breaches of DVOs,” said Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman.
“A community we are talking more and more about how domestic violence will not be tolerated in the community and I think that is making more and more women comfortable with coming forward to report.
“But if that’s happening we need to make sure they have the services they need here in Central Queensland, so they can rebuild their lives.”
Ms Fentiman said data showed one in 10 women were in a relationship where they experienced domestic and family violence with two-thirds of women saying the violence became worse during Covid.
Centacare CQ director Robert Sims said Centacare CQ had a long history of delivering domestic and family violence services in Emerald and it was grateful to deliver a streamlined and consistent service across the wider CQ region.
Helem Yumba CQ Healing Centre CEO Lynette Anderson said the organisation was honoured to be partnering with CentacareCQ, continuing the long-standing relationship.
“We believe our partnership will allow us to be best placed to respond to the needs and aspirations of our communities across Central Queensland,” she said.
“As for Helem Yumba, we’re excited to contribute our traditional knowledge, wisdom and values to mainstream ways of working with domestic and family violence.
“In particular to work holistically with families and individuals to empower them to help them understand how it manifests in the many forms and to compound our work around closing the gap for our people.
“We have the opportunity now to show that by working together in respectful and reciprocal ways, sharing resources and knowledge, that we can be more efficient and effective in achieving our aligned goals in eliminating domestic and family violence in Central Queensland.”
Ms Anderson said Helem Yumba had been carrying out work in domestic and family violence since its inception.
“When I first came on board in 2005, we were able to identify very quickly that we needed to focus on families and both the men and the women,” she said.
“If you want to make any change you need to target the families and work with both the men and women in ways which ensures safety, and to be working with those men too to address intergenerational traumas that are manifested in these violent behaviours.
“What we do is we often reach back to our traditional ways that sustained our communities and nations for thousands of years … it has been effective because our people are asking for healing so when we take that approach we find the outcomes are more positive for families and our community.”
For more information on the Queensland Women’s Strategy click here.
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