Escaping a perpetrator of domestic violence doesn't mark the end of its impacts, and many families are being left without access to the support they need.
"It's kind of you against the world," Louise told the ABC.
The mother escaped her violent partner more than a decade ago, but says the trauma remains.
Her name, and her daughter's name, have been changed to protect their identities.
"The children have grown but ... there has been times in the last couple of years that there has been discord in the family," Louise said.
"It just took me back to the DV days, and I guess some of the characteristics of my teens were starting to bring up old trauma."
Louise's teenage daughter, Jakky, received counselling through Anglicare WA's Young Hearts program, which caters to children and teenagers.
She said the counsellors have helped to calm down her "explosions", and reduce arguments with her siblings.
"You can just let everything out," Jakky said.
"My dad hasn't really been around. It's just been, kind of not very good. And it's been hard on me and my siblings."
Jakky's experience with the counselling service prompted her to encourage her brother to enrol in the program, but a lack of funding meant he wasn't able to, according to Anglicare WA.
"He doesn't really talk about anything, and me and him don't get along. It would just be good for him to talk to somebody," she said.
Services closing amid growing violence
Domestic violence surged throughout the pandemic as lockdowns and loss of income fed conditions that led to abuse.
To meet demand, Anglicare WA said it injected reserve funding into its Young Hearts program, which relies entirely on donations.
However, amid cost-of-living pressures, the not-for-profit organisation said it's in the process of closing down the program at many of its locations as funding dries up.
"In WA, we don't have many programs at all that focus on child counselling, focused on family and domestic violence, especially for the age gap of five to around 12 years old," service coordinator Nicki Boxtel said.
"If we don't have the funding to continue, that service gap is going to increase ... that's just going to impact the children further and further along into their life, into adulthood."
Ms Boxtel said it was crucial to address the cycle of family violence through counselling services targeted at supporting children and teenagers.
"These children are exposed to outbursts of physical violence or potential intimidation, emotional abuse," she said.
"What we really try to do in the counselling sessions is kind of work our way through what a healthy relationship looks like."
Lack of counselling services for children
Kirsty Oehlers is a social work lecturer at Curtin University who also runs her own private counselling centre. She said long waiting lists have become "standard" across Perth.
"We're constantly seeing families and children where there's been family violence, but our waiting list is probably up to four to six months," she said.
"There's quite a dire shortage, and there's also a shortage of staff to run these services or to provide the counselling."
Ms Oehlers said there was a high risk of younger people developing mental health problems after being exposed to domestic violence.
"Ideally, children are offered counselling earlier rather than later," she said.
While some were able to receive support, such as Jakky, others aren't as fortunate, like her brother.
"We can't because there's no funding," Jakky's mother Louise said.
"I just see the potential in my children, and there is other children suffering ... it's good to have support out of the home."
'A lot of work to do': Minister
WA family and domestic violence minister, Simone McGurk, said every effort was being made to meet demand, but acknowledged there were gaps in service availability.
"We can't always step in where services are created, from whatever means, whether it's from donations or from other governments, and then step in and do that work," she said.
"Unfortunately, there's still a lot to do."
Earlier this year, the state government put $2.5 million into family and domestic violence counselling services for younger people in Rockingham and the Wheatbelt region, which they expect to service about 270 children and teenagers.
Anglicare WA's Young Hearts program saw 339 people in 2021, and 295 people so far in 2022.
National plan to 'end violence'
Federal and state governments have committed to a national plan to "end violence against women and children" over the next decade.
"We've got law reform, we're doing work in schools, as well as in prevention, as well as crisis response on the ground," Ms McGurk said.
"We do have a plan to make sure that we're doing everything we can to meet that demand."
Workers dealing with the demand on the frontlines, like Ms Oehler, say a multifaceted approach is needed to address domestic and family violence.
"To really address gendered violence, there does need to be a lot more programs provided that have a family approach," she said.
"The perpetrator of the violence needs to have treatment programs and counselling as well."
Ms Oehlers said more effort also needed to be made in giving children a voice.
"It's really important that kids are heard. So, whatever their account of their family experience is, somebody should be listening to that."
