And a $60million Federal Government investment in emergency housing to protect women and children from family violence is unlikely to make any difference due to the rising demand.
While welcoming extra funding, Centre for Non-Violence client services general manager Yvette Jaczina said she did not know what it would mean for the service, which supports countless women experiencing violence across Campaspe.
‘‘It is a drop in the ocean given what we know about demand and we have certainly experienced increased demand overall and in particular for housing,’’ she said.
‘‘We are noticing an increased pressure on the homelessness and housing system which means when CNV provides a crisis response, this often entails funding for emergency accommodation.
‘‘In Campaspe, emergency accommodation means motels and caravan parks which is costly and also does not provide the stability that women and children need.
‘‘The funding we currently receive for crisis accommodation will not last the financial year and this is because we need to fund longer stays.’’
With domestic violence the leading cause of homelessness for women and children, Ms Jaczina said long-term affordable housing was a huge challenge.
‘‘A large percentage of women who seek support from CNV have housing as a key concern, they could be homeless or at risk of homelessness,’’ she said.
‘‘We estimate this to be about 80 per cent in Campaspe.’’
The federal government will also spend $18 million on state and territory programs to shield women and children from violence if it is possible for them to stay in their own homes, rather than move to a shelter.
According to Ms Jaczina, the CNV’s goal is to support women and their children to remain in their home.
‘‘This requires a strong systems response to ensure that it is safe to do so,’’ she said.
CNV is a member of the Campaspe Family Violence Action Group, which has a strategic goal to build capacity of services and strengthen a systems response.
‘‘A good systems response requires good communication, a respect for the woman’s understanding of her safety and what she has done to keep herself safe and a focus on keeping the perpetrator accountable,’’ she said.
‘‘There are times when it is just too unsafe for the woman to remain in her own home.’’
Ms Jaczina said its demand for services had spiked just after Christmas, with a 25 per cent jump from December to January.
‘‘Having said that, December figures were lower than November figures which were similar to January,’’ she said.
■If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800737732.
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