A $230 million emergency package designed to help domestic, family and sexual violence survivors will be unveiled on Monday.
The package will include $48 million for a statewide expansion of the Staying Home Leaving Violence program, which is designed to protect families staying in their homes after violent relationships.
Specialist domestic violence workers within the justice system will get a $24 million boost, while $45 million is set aside for bail law and justice system changes "to be announced in coming weeks".
"NSW needs a coordinated approach across multiple fronts to disrupt domestic violence - that is what this suite of funding initiatives is designed to achieve," NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley said.
Workers helping children accompanying their mothers to refuges will get $48 million, with $38 million bound for creating the state's first prevention strategy aimed at halting the drivers of violence.
A further $5 million is bound for research into perpetrators and future interventions, and $700,000 wil go to the NSW Domestic Violence Line.
Nearly one in four women and one in eight men in Australia have experienced violence by an intimate partner or family member since the age of 15.
"There is no shying away from the horrendous statistics, and the tragic stories behind each one of those statistics," Charlestown MP and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said.
"What we need to focus on, and what we are committed to achieving, is appropriate, ongoing, and all-encompassing wraparound support for victim-survivors, as well as ensuring we learn from their experiences and do better for communities across NSW."
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Support is available: Lifeline 13 11 14, 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
THE WHOLE PACKAGE
Crisis Response
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$48m to roll out the Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) program state-wide and to expand the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service (IDFVS).
- The Staying Home Leaving Violence program helps women and their children to remain safe in their homes after leaving a violent relationship. In 2022, a formal evaluation from the Gendered Violence Research Network at the University of NSW found this program effectively contributes to the long-term safety and housing stability of women and children who have left a violent and abusive relationship.
- The Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service provides important case management helping people to navigate the services of government agencies and non-government organisations. This can include coordinating across police, courts, healthcare, child protection workers, housing providers and women's refuges. The program works with both victim-survivors who have left a relationship and those who remain, focusing on maximising safety for this group of women and their children.
- The Staying Home Leaving Violence program helps women and their children to remain safe in their homes after leaving a violent relationship. In 2022, a formal evaluation from the Gendered Violence Research Network at the University of NSW found this program effectively contributes to the long-term safety and housing stability of women and children who have left a violent and abusive relationship.
- The Staying Home Leaving Violence program helps women and their children to remain safe in their homes after leaving a violent relationship. In 2022, a formal evaluation from the Gendered Violence Research Network at the University of NSW found this program effectively contributes to the long-term safety and housing stability of women and children who have left a violent and abusive relationship.
- The Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service provides important case management helping people to navigate the services of government agencies and non-government organisations. This can include coordinating across police, courts, healthcare, child protection workers, housing providers and women's refuges. The program works with both victim-survivors who have left a relationship and those who remain, focusing on maximising safety for this group of women and their children.
Improving the Justice System for Victims
- $45 million has been set aside to improve bail laws and justice system responses to domestic violence with measures to be announced in coming weeks.
- Nearly $24 million for specialist DV support workers within the justice system.
- $2 million over four years to support the Domestic Violence Death Review Team and its work to deliver robust research around risks factors, trends and impact of service delivery.
- $2.1 million over two years to improve and continue the Corrective Services program Offender Transformation EQUIPS, delivered to domestic and family violence offenders to prevent reoffending.
Early Intervention
- $48 million to secure and increase funding for workers who support children accompanying their months to refuges. These specialist workers for young people support them, including with education, physical and mental health measures.
- Support of $700,000 for the NSW Domestic Violence Line (DV line).
Primary Prevention
- $38 million for the implementation of NSW's first dedicated Primary Prevention Strategy. The Pathways to Prevention: NSW Strategy for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence 2024-2027 will develop a range of initiatives to address the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence.
- $8.1 million over four years for the 'All in' early childhood pilot, to prevent domestic violence by teaching young children about healthy relationships.
Strengthening the Sector
- $5 million for workforce training on the implementation of a newly developed risk assessment framework, and quality standards.
- $3.6 million to expand Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW), which is the peak body for specialist services in New South Wales.
Research
$5m in funding for research into perpetrators and effective interventions.
