Western Sydney Labor MPs join fight to reinstate centre’s only domestic violence case manager

PENRITH Women’s Health Centre has enlisted Western Sydney’s Labor MPs to join in their revolt against the loss of their only domestic violence case manager.

Western Sydney Labor MPs met in Penrith last week to discuss ways to pressure the State Government to reinstate vital domestic violence funding. Generic picture by Chris Kidd

• Service forced to let go of its only domestic violence case manager
• Services overloaded by cries for help from women in need
• Unique team formed to help NSW domestic violence victims to document physical injuries for police and courts

PENRITH Women’s Health Centre has enlisted Western Sydney’s Labor MPs to join in their revolt against the loss of their domestic violence case manager.

Centre manager Jane Gold said the fulltime worker case-managed 118 women from the Penrith and St Marys areas from July 2015 to April 2016.

“Where are the families she helped going to go now?” Ms Gold asked, adding “case management is needed before you can bring in counselling”.

The worker’s contract ended on June 30, 2016.

Cheryl Alexander (right) and Maria Le Breton from the Western Sydney Womens Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service, assist more than 800 women a month at Penrith and Mount Druitt courts.

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Pru Goward at Penrith Panthers’ Rugby League Academy for the 2016 season launch of ‘Tackling Violence’, a program raising awareness about domestic violence among junior players through activities with league idols.

Western Sydney Labor MPs held an emergency meeting at Penrith on July 11 to discuss ways to pressure the State Government to reinstate vital funding at Penrith Women’s Health Centre, Sydney Women’s Counselling Service and Cumberland Women’s Health Centre. Picture: Isabell Petrinic

“I’m working on a new funding agreement with (Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault) Pru Goward,” said Penrith state Liberal MP Stuart Ayres, who this year announced a $203,000 funding extension of the centre’s ‘Staying Home Leaving Violence’ program, which assists female victims of abuse to stay safely in their home without their partner. The case manager assisted women who were ineligible.

A NSW Government spokeswoman told the Penrith Press: “We are currently considering (Stuart’s) request.”

Bill Shorten’s new ‘Labor Warrior of the West’, Lindsay member-elect Emma Husar, sat down last week with Londonderry MP Prue Car, Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle and the Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Jenny Aitchison, to discuss how to move forward. They plan to collect 100,000 petition signatures to open a debate in Parliament.

To add pressure, Western Sydney’s Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service waits for Local Area Commands in the Penrith region to be made Local Coordination Points, part of the NSW Government’s 2014 restructure of domestic violence services.

“It would mean more workers,” co-ordinator Cheryl Alexander said, adding “we’ve been doing it (their work) for 12 months unfunded”.

She was making reference to making contact, by phone, letter or text message, with victims of abuse referred automatically to them by police — something her staff has done, on top of attending Penrith and Mt Druitt local courts with victims, following a change to legislation in 2015.

The government spokeswoman said Penrith and St Marys Local Area Commands would be made Local Coordination Points in 2017.

In March, Penrith police referred 173 victims to Western Sydney’s Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service, with 147 of these women assisted by the two full-time and three part-time staff who work out of Penrith Women’s Health Centre.

Londonderry MP Prue Car.

Lindsay member-elect Emma Husar.

Ms Aitchison said the government’s reforms have not filled the gap provided by Penrith Women’s Health Centre, Sydney Women’s Counselling Service or Cumberland Women’s Health Centre.

All three have made repeated requests to the NSW government to extend their funding “with no response”.

Bureau of Crime Statistics figures show for the 12 months to March 2016 the Penrith local government area recorded the second-highest number of domestic violence-related assaults in NSW, with 1035 incidents.

“As workers and a service we have observed an increase in the severity of the violence women are disclosing to us,” Ms Gold said.

“We are seeing higher levels of physical and sexual violence, high-risk stalking, monitoring and possessive behaviour.”

Unsurprisingly, in May, a survey of 560 women found 81 per cent of women in Penrith ranked domestic violence as a pressing personal concern.

The Liberal’s new State Budget included $25 million over four years for ‘Staying Home Leaving Violence’, $34 million over four years for the Women’s Domestic Violence and Court Advocacy Program and $6.3 million over four years to meet unmet demand to response to police referrals.

Margherita Basile at Sydney Women’s Counselling Centre in Campsie. Picture: Craig Wilson

“The 2016-17 Budget allocated $34 million over four years for WDVCAS, plus an additional $6.3 million over four years to meet unmet demand,” the government spokeswoman told the Penrith Press.

“The NSW Government has also introduced a further $20 million Innovation Fund for early intervention and crisis responses that support the efforts of specialist domestic and family violence services and refuges.

“The NSW Government’s ‘Staying Home Leaving Violence’ program has recently received $25 million over four years to prevent homelessness by removing the perpetrator from the family home so that women and children can remain safely where they are.”

The program operates in 27 locations across NSW, including Penrith.

Shannon Hall is the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District’s new domestic violence counsellor, from the Integrated Violence Prevention and Response Service. Picture: Matthew Sullivan

For information, support and referrals, call the 24-hour Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63.