Relationships Australia NSW (RANSW) welcomes the Commonwealth Government's announcement of a $4.4 billion investment towards the prevention of family, domestic and sexual violence, announced following National Cabinet on Friday, 6 September 2024.
RANSW has been providing family safety services, including men's behaviour change and services for adult and child victims and survivors for nearly 25 years.
RANSW CEO Elisabeth Shaw said domestic violence has wide ranging psychological, health and housing implications, and this funding could transform the lives of many Australians.
"We have had an average of 240 men using violence on our waiting lists for more than 12 months, and another 190 partners and ex-partners on the waitlist too," Ms Shaw said.
"These are people who want to change their behaviour and participate in our comprehensive whole-of-family intervention, but we simply cannot service them.
"This is dangerous for all concerned, as children and women are in many cases remaining in the home while these men may continue using violence. Many of our applicants are not yet on the police radar, so this could be particularly dangerous."
Ms Shaw was particularly pleased to see targeted funding for children and young people, noting that childhood trauma can be linked to using or experiencing domestic violence in relationships as an adult.
"For too long, children have been more of an afterthought in funding and service delivery, as there simply hasn't been the money to offer healing and recovery services tailored to their needs," Ms Shaw said.
"Although RANSW offers a highly subscribed children's groups, we simply do not have enough of them to meet the needs of the communities we serve across NSW."
Ms Shaw also noted that the funding needs to be allocated faster than July 2025.
"There is immense unmet need across our entire community, and we cannot afford to wait until July 2025 for this funding to commence," Ms Shaw said.
"This money needs to be allocated immediately so we can start breaking the intergenerational patterns that emerge.
"Investment now can make a difference in how children live their lives, and how older people are treated too."
