Coast Shelter has published a paper outlining its position on domestic and family violence, aiming to bring greater focus and attention to the issue and to create solutions to help break the cycle.
CEO Michael Starr said in 2021, 75 per cent of people accessing Coast Shelter’s homeless and crisis accommodation refuges reported having experienced domestic and family violence.
Over the same period, 400 women and children were supported through Coast Shelter’s Domestic Violence Rapid Response Enhancement program with fears there are many more victims on the Coast who have not sought support.
“Seismic change is desperately needed to keep families safe, reduce perpetrator re-offending rates and to end the cycle of homelessness caused by domestic and family violence,” Starr said.
“Everyone deserves a safe place to call home and victims must be heard in policy and program design across the nation.
“The paper outlines six key areas the State Government and industry need to invest in to curb this crisis, which includes education programs for youth to tackle root causes of violence and abuse before it even starts.
“The Government must invest in a raft of primary prevention strategies to stop the violence, abuse and neglect.
“It’s vital we build early intervention education programs into our tertiary institutions to help foster a help seeking culture and raise awareness amongst our young people about what is and what isn’t healthy and acceptable in relationships.”
Starr said NSW needed a strategy to reduce the rate of domestic and family violence assault re-offending.
According to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, the number of people in NSW re-offending with a domestic violence assault within 12 months of another domestic violence offence increased to 1900 people in May, 2021.
This is the highest level since December 2015.
“Coast Shelter is committed to continue to prioritise support and assistance for victims of domestic and family violence,” Starr said.
“It is our hope the Government will listen to our concerns and make the necessary changes to improve the safety of the most vulnerable in our community.”
To read the full position paper go to https://coastshelter.org.au/breaking-the-cycle/?swcfpc=1.
Coast Shelter is planning a stakeholder engagement event in late March/early April to discuss the paper and workshop how we can work together as a community to drive change.
To express your interest or find out more about Coast Shelter’s homelessness and domestic and family violence services visit www.coastshelter.org.au or call 4325 3540.
Source:
Media release, Feb 24
Coast Shelter