State funds for family violence support

AGENCIES providing family violence support in Ballarat will share in $484,019 from the State government, to assist their services throughout the coronavirus crisis.

WRISC Family Violence Support is receiving almost 68 per cent of the city’s allocated funds, and executive officer, Libby Jewson said most of this boost will support women to stay or become safe.

“It provides opportunities to empower women in the circumstances in which they find themselves, as a result of the pandemic,” she said.

“A number of partners in the Central Highlands region have access to the program to support women and children in their agencies who have been affected by family violence. Some funding will be going towards our agency becoming COVID safe.

“It’s very welcomed and will be used to help keep women and children safe during this time, as well as support WRISC to adjust to the changed working conditions, so that we can all work together to continue to respond to family violence…”

Ms Jewson said there was a high demand for services just before the pandemic, but the risk for women and children has escalated with home self-isolation, although that’s not yet evident in referral numbers.

“That’s because women and children don’t have freedoms in the pandemic lockdown, but we’ve noticed there’s a lot of complexity, and high risk, about the referrals that we have had.

“People are still getting used to just talking on the phone, and requiring support to navigate new initiatives like JobSeeker and JobKeeper,” she said.

“We’re expecting to have a much greater demand once we move into the next phase of the [COVID-19 restriction] exit plan. There will be much less limitation on peoples’ movements and that’s when every agency’s expecting high demand.”

Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison said family violence is a “national emergency,” with the State government also allocating $46,165 to Child & Family Services, $45,825 to the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-operative, $40,478 to Ballarat Health Services, and $22,501 to Ballarat Community Health.

“One woman [is] killed at the hands of a current or former partner every week. It is the leading cause of death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15 to 44 years,” Ms Addison said.

“We are supporting local services to protect families and prevent violence in our community.”

One hundred per cent of WRISC’s service delivery to clients is being managed by staff working from home, and this will continue for the coming weeks.

If you need assistance, WRISC staff are answering the phone. Call 5333 3666.