The Territory Labor Government is putting victims first and boosting domestic and family violence services to keep vulnerable Territorians safe, particularly due to the impact of COVID-19.
Across the nation, there have been increases in domestic and family violence and the Territory Government is ensuring that services are boosted now, so that victims will be able to get the support they need.
10 organisations across the Territory will receive close to $3 million (total) in funding to deliver 35 projects focused on introducing new or enhanced counselling services, creating flexible care packages for clients, increasing outreach services and improving the governance and operations of services, including staff health and wellbeing.
The 10 successful community organisations include:
- Galiwin'ku Women's Space
- Katherine Women's Crisis Centre Inc
- West Arnhem Regional Council – Gunbalanya Women's Safe House
- Catholic Care NT
- One Tree Community Services Inc – Wadeye Safe House
- Women's Safety Services of Central Australia
- Dawn House
- YWCA Australia
- Darwin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Shelter Corporation
- Salvation Army NT Property Trust
Some of the successful projects include:
- Counselling for women and children who are experiencing or recovering from violence in the Tiwi Islands and Daly delivered by Catholic Care NT
- Professional and confidential specialist counselling for victims of domestic and family violence in Gunbalanya, delivered by the West Arnhem Regional Council
- Women's Safety Services of Central Australia to provide flexible packages of support for victims of domestic and family violence to help them improve their safety, well-being and independence. Additionally the service will employ a new Therapeutic Facilitator to provide flexible therapeutic responses to victims, and bolster clinical supervision to better support staff
- Funding for an outreach service for women experiencing domestic and family violence, provided through the Galiwin'ku Women's Space. The individual and group work support will address the contributing factors of domestic and family violence before crisis points. The new project will align with the opening of the Galiwin'ku Women's Safe Space Building and crisis accommodation service
- Additional critical outreach service for people in remote communities in the Big Rivers Region through Katherine Women's Crisis Centre
As noted by Minister for Territory Families, Dale Wakefield
"For Territory women, violence is the single largest driver for homelessness and is a major factor in children entering the child protection and youth justice systems.
"The Territory Labor Government will always put victims first and invest in services that will keep Territorians safer.
"Funding 35 projects across ten organisations will help to bolster domestic and family violence support services to keep women and their children safe - particularly due to the impact of coronavirus."
