Carindale Shopping Centre opens HOPE hub for domestic violence victims

In a first for Brisbane, victims of domestic violence can now seek help at one of the city’s busiest shopping centres.

Victims of domestic violence will now be able to seek help at one of Brisbane’s busiest shopping centres, with the launch of a new community hub.

In a first for Brisbane, the HOPE hub will act as a triage centre for domestic violence victims seven days a week out of Westfield Carindale Shopping Centre.

The hub, launched by Brisbane-based charity Beyond DV, is highly secured with CCTV and will be able to provide victims with readily accessible support.

The HOPE hub will be open seven days a week for domestic violence victims needing support. Picture: Angelina Conias

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman, who attended the launch on Thursday, said the hub was a gamechanger for victims who often lived in fear they were being tracked by the perpetrators.

“Being able to go to a service or even the police might be very dangerous for a woman experiencing that violence,” Ms Fentiman said.

“But coming to a shopping centre, going to the women’s bathrooms and then just being able to come to see this space is something that she might be able to do and stay safe and that is what we want to do.”

Beyond DV’s Carolyn Robinson at the opening of the HOPE hub. Picture: Angelina Conias

Beyond DV founder Carolyn Robinson realised there was a greater need to bring services to people after she launched her “one stop shop” for domestic violence victims in 2017.

“What I found in those first couple of years of working with women very closely is their frustration of having to travel far and wide to access services for themselves and their children to rebuild their lives,” Ms Robinson said.

“It didn’t make sense to them and it didn’t make sense to me – there had to be a better way.”

Visitors will be able to engage with an on-site staff member who can provide information and referrals to other community organisations, some that will be offering support from the hub.

The space will also be used to run workshops and presentations around a range of social

issues impacting men, women and children.

The State Government has committed $75,000 to funding a Hub co-ordinator for 12 months to

manage the space and The Lord Mayor’s Charitable Trust provided $30,000 to furnish the hub.

Ms Robinson said more than $100,000 of materials and labour had also been donated to the cause.

Carindale’s centre manager Matt Powis said his team had been proud to be apart of such a great cause.

“We know that this place is going to empower so many people that walk through the doors,” he said.

“There’s people around us, all over the place, who are suffering and shouldn’t be suffering and don’t deserve to be suffering.

“And we’re really going to make a difference in this community.”