Safe Places open to help Shoalhaven women and children
Multiple safe havens have opened for women and children escaping violent situations on the NSW south coast amid major gender-based violence protests around the country.
The South Coast News
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A program opening multiple facilities aimed at providing emergency accommodation for women and children experiencing family and domestic violence on the south coast has been a huge success, with politicians visiting a recently opened site days after gender-based violence protests across the nation.
The ‘Safe Places’ facility in Ulladulla, which opened in February this year, has provided more than 20 women and children an escape from dangerous situations and has been so successful, the Federal Government plans to open more.
The program – which is funded by the Federal Government – has seen sites open in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven and is already providing 32 safe places, assisting up to 256 women and children.
Federal minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth said the facilities assisted women and children experiencing family and domestic violence by ensuring they had a safe place to go and could access necessary specialist services.
She said the facilities were just part of the government’s plan to tackle family, domestic and sexual violence.
“It’s simply unacceptable,” she said.
Federal Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips visited the recently opened Safe Place facility in Ulladulla this week with Mrs Rishworth, seeing first hand how the facility was helping women and children.
“Visiting the new Safe Places emergency accommodation gave me an opportunity to meet the women and children who have experienced family and domestic violence, and to hear their harrowing personal stories first-hand,” she said.
“It was great to speak with the wonderful frontline workers who are helping these women and children by providing a safe haven for them, and also providing the absolutely vital support they need to move forward.”
The visits to the facilities comes just days after gender-based violence protests across the nation, with women calling on the Federal Government to do more to help victims in dangerous situations.
The protests pushed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to convene a meeting of national cabinet with state and territory leaders on Wednesday to discuss possible solutions to the crisis.
As a result, Mr Albanese announced the federal government would invest $925m over five years from July 1, 2025, to permanently establish the Leaving Violence Payment to assist people experiencing intimate partner violence with the financial costs of leaving a violent situation.
“Those eligible will be able to access up to $5000 in financial support along with referral services, risk assessments, and safety planning,” Mr Albanese said.
“This commitment builds on measures put in place by our government to help address financial barriers to escaping violence.”
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