Ocean Grove’s Christine Smith helps women, children flee family violence

A former Geelong police officer has returned to the frontline in a bid to create safe havens for women and children amid a rise in family violence.

Chris Smith is helping those who have fled domestic violence. Picture: Brad Fleet

A former Geelong police officer has returned to the frontline in a bid to create safe havens for women and children amid a rise in family violence.

Former Leading Senior Constable Christine Smith, who worked with the Child Abuse and Sexual Offences unit for 15 years, now runs an emergency housing program on the Bellarine Peninsula for women and children fleeing violence.

Her work comes as the Sexual Assault and Family Violence centre has reported an increase in clients seeking support.

Chief executive officer Kerrann Campbell Jones said: “We have seen a particular increase year to date for family violence therapeutic counselling, often mothers with children, due to the increasing complexity and trauma.

“A significant number of our family violence counselling clients are children aged under 18.”

Ms Campbell Jones said housing remained a significant issue for women and children seeking support and was the leading cause of homelessness in Australia.

Ms Smith, who worked as a police officer for two decades before leaving the force in 2012, said she had “carried the guilt” of not always being able to offer safe, immediate solutions,

for women and people with disabilities in crisis.

“I remember one time looking after a six or seven- year-old boy, whose mum had just been

murdered by his dad, he sat with us in the office for hours and hours,” she said.

“We tried our best but the resources just weren’t available back then, had they been,

his mum might have still been alive today.”    

She started Destination Accessible to provide emergency housing for those experiencing violence in the Barwon region.

“There weren’t ongoing safe places for people who had a dog or children,” Ms Smith said.

“And if they were full, we had nowhere for them to go.”

The organisation has 20 properties, all privately owned by community members, available for those affected by violence.

“Over Easter, 100 per cent of these properties were occupied by women fleeing violence,” she said.

Ms Smith said too often women and children were placed in emergency hotel accommodation, which was unsuitable.

“We find feedback that being in the (Destination Accessible) homes, their mental health is improved,” she said.

Ms Smith is sharing her story to mark Domestic and Family Violence Month, which runs throughout May.

She said her organisation worked with other services including Safe Steps, The

Orange Door, Meli and The Sexual Assault Family Violence Centre.

If you need help call 1800 806 292.

Originally published as Ocean Grove’s Christine Smith helps women, children flee family violence