Domestic violence help: Premier announces $5.5m to help victims

The Premier has announced a $5.5 million package to help victims of domestic violence in lockdown, as a leading DV foundation called for more hotels to be made available for those being abused.

THE Palaszczuk Government has announced a $5.5 million domestic violence package to help women and children trapped in home isolation with their abusers.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the money would provide extra funding for DV Connect, crisis accommodation, enhanced services and an awareness campaign.

“We are here to help you,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“There will be further announcements from the Commonwealth and states.

“This is an initial, first injection.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced funding to help domestic violence victims. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

Domestic Violence Prevention Minister Di Farmer said COVID-19 meant victims were facing a “completely different” set of complex problems.

They included financial pressure and “cabin fever”, she said.

“We know there are women and children alone with those perpetrators feeling even more alone,” she said.

Ms Farmer said services had recorded significant rises in calls for help since the brutal murders of Hannah Clarke and her three children and since home isolation measures came in place.

“You do not need to endure a violent relationship,” Ms Farmer said.

“You do not have to think that COVID-19 limits your options so we need to get that message out.”

Ms Farmer said a virtual summit would be held on May 6 with DV experts to workshop solutions.

Red Rose Foundation CEO Betty Taylor. Picture: Sherele Moody

THIS IS A DANGEROUS TIME

The Red Rose Foundation is calling on the State Government to use COVID-19 like rulings to make more hotels available to victims fleeing domestic violence as fears grow over the safety due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Red Rose Foundation CEO Betty Taylor said it was now “more dangerous than ever” for victims of domestic violence.

Ms Taylor said the State Government’s ability to use hotels for COVID-19 needs could be repurposed to also provide more housing for domestic violence victims.

“This is a dangerous time for victims,” Ms Taylor said.

“We can’t just take it that people are at home and everyone is playing happy families. That is not the case.

“We have increasing unemployment, children home from school and so much added pressure and victims feel the anxiety of COVID-19 as well.”

“They are struggling through this time. It is huge.”

Ms Taylor said this “is not business as usual”.

She said victims trapped in controlling situations would have reduced methods of contact with support and help now that people were in isolation in their homes.

“How do you get victims out of a dangerous situation now,” she said.

“What is happening is that we have victims and children locked in their homes and we don’t know what is going on.”

She said support services were reporting that “women are now only contacting services at the critical stage ... at the stage when they need housing and my concern is what is at the end of the call ... with services pulling back to home-based where are victims going. Can they go to shelters?”

Ms Taylor said she wrote to the Minister for Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Di Farmer a month ago to outline key concerns and that the Government would need to get a lot more creative.

She said globally tools were being rolled out to help women set up emergency contact processes like having a code set up with their employer if they can’t use the phone.

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“There has to be ways we can keep supporting victims,” she said.

Ms Taylor said focus on perpetrators needed to be “escalated not de-escalated. Where are eyes on them?”

“We need random police visits (for perpetrators) and if they are in face-to-face groups that are no longer meeting what is happening now,” Ms Taylor said.

“I’d be thinking anyone who has a protection order and they breach it should be under surveillance.”

Originally published as Domestic violence help: Premier announces $5.5m to help victims