NSW Labor promise to help migrant and refugee victims of domestic violence

A new centre for multicultural and refugee families experiencing domestic violence will be opened under a $7 million election commitment from NSW Labor.

A new centre for multicultural and refugee families experiencing domestic violence will be opened under a $7 million election commitment from NSW Labor.

From the funding, which will go to programs supporting families from different cultures, $1.4 million per year would be put into the running of a centre in South West Sydney for four years.

“It’s hard enough just being a new migrant or a refugee trying to find your feet and start a new life in Australia. It’s even harder if you’re a victim of domestic and family violence as well,” NSW Labor leader Chris Minns said.

“That’s why a Labor government I lead will deliver the specialised services new migrants and refugees need, because people who are facing domestic and family violence should.”

NSW Labor leader Chris Minns. Picture: Tim Hunter

The centre will be run by Settlement Services International, which will also train other providers of domestic and family violence support to target the specific needs of migrant and refugee families.

With a focus on outreach and improving the capabilities of other service providers, the centre will employ experts who understand and even share the experiences of these families with unique insights into the experience of refugees and migrants.

NSW Labor is promising to establish a new centre for multicultural and refugee families experiencing domestic violence.

The centre will stop families who can’t speak English, or have experienced trauma as refugees from falling through the cracks.

NSW Labor expects the newly established centre to work on over 7000 cases per year.

A study of migrant and refugee women by Monash University found one in three migrant women in Australia have experienced domestic violence, and of those 42 per cent had experienced physical or sexual violence.

“All communities in Australia experience domestic and family violence, but this is often exacerbated for women from migrant and refugee backgrounds due to issues such as language barriers, visa status and the inconsistency in access to interpreters,” Acting CEO Settlement Services International Yamamah Agha said.

“Domestic and family violence services need specialist skills to detect and respond to these dynamics in culturally and linguistically diverse communities and to facilitate pathways to tailored support.

Labor says the funding will bring NSW in line with Queensland and Victoria which already have specialist domestic violence services that are dedicated to migrant and refugee families.

“Specialisation of domestic and family violence services was one of the key asks from the Women’s Safety Summit held in 2021.,” said NSW Shadow Minister Women Jodie Harrison.

“Labor has listened and will deliver the specialised services that new migrants so desperately need.”