Women fleeing domestic violence to get $5000 under ‘escaping violence payment scheme’

The ‘escaping violence payment scheme’ will help women establish safe lives away from abusive partners and help overcome the barriers that deter many from leaving a relationship.

Women fleeing a violent relationship will be given a one-off $5000 payment from Tuesday under a long-awaited federal government trial scheme.

The “escaping violence payment scheme” has set aside $144.5 million over the next two years to give women $1500 cash, with the remainder to pay for goods and services, bond, schools fees and other necessaries to establish a new safe home.

The Government has charged UnitingCare Network with the task of delivering the payments while helping link women and their children with relevant community services.

An analysis of domestic violence data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that while it is more common for women from poorer areas, women from high socio-economic areas are not immune from experiencing partner violence.

Women can face of violence before finding the strength to leave an abusive relationship.

Women’s Safety Minister Anne Ruston said the trial was designed to help women overcome the financial barriers that might deter them from leaving a violent relationship.

“We know that financial hardship as well as economic abuse — which may involve interfering with work or controlling or withholding money — reduces women’s ability to acquire and use money and makes it difficult to leave violent relationships,” she said.

“The payments will assist people who need financial support to leave.

“We know the size of the house a woman is fleeing doesn’t matter. Often she bundles the kids into the car, maybe the dog too and they leave with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.”

Women’s Safety Minister Anne Ruston. Picture: Tom Huntley

The payments, which are not considered taxable or reportable income, were part of a $1.1 billion federal Government investment in women’s safety announced as part of the 2021-22 Budget.

To be eligible for a payment, women must be facing financial stress and have some evidence of domestic violence such as a referral from a family and domestic violence service provider with a risk assessment and safety plan, an AVO, court order or a police report.

UnitingCare Australia National Director Claerwen Little said the organisation had extensive

experience supporting victim-survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence.

“And staff would leverage that knowledge to provide a wraparound service for women and their children,” she said.

“We believe that all people, especially women and their children, have the right to live freely and without fear, and this payment is an important step forward to ending violence against women and their children.

“As part of the individualised support packages, UnitingCare Network agencies will provide tailored assistance and engage with other relevant agencies that support women and their children including other Commonwealth or state and territory government funded community services.”

The two-year trial will be independently evaluated to assess the benefit of the payment, including demand, eligibility criteria, needs of specific cohorts, and how it works with related services.

Originally published as Women fleeing domestic violence to get $5000 under ‘escaping violence payment scheme’