The Albanese Government is committed to supporting more women and children escaping family violence, including those in rural and regional areas, with the recent opening of 18 Safe Places in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales and five in the Shire of Mitchell in Victoria.
The Safe Places Emergency Accommodation program funds the renovation, building or purchase of new emergency accommodation, providing women and children experiencing family and domestic violence, with a safe place of their own.
Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Justine Elliot, recently visited the Safe Places sites in the Central Tablelands and Shire of Mitchell.
"Women and their children are often faced with housing uncertainty when trying to escape violent living situations," Assistant Minister Elliot said.
"Isolation and limited access to resources often makes women and children located rurally more vulnerable to remaining in family violence than their urban counterparts."
"The Safe Places program is vital in ensuring families have a safe place to go, where they can also be supported by specialist wrap around family and domestic violence services."
The successful establishment of the 18 Safe Places in the Central Tablelands and five in the Shire of Mitchell means more than 250 additional women and children can be supported each year.
"I thank Housing Plus and Rural Housing for opening their doors, and providing me with the opportunity to experience first-hand the compassionate work they undertake every day for their local communities," Assistant Minister Elliot said.
"I commend all Safe Places providers across the country for their unwavering commitment to providing trauma-informed support, breaking cycles of abuse and empowering victim-survivors to rebuild their lives."
The Albanese Government committed an additional $100 million over 5 years in the 2022-23 Budget, to further the program.
The upcoming Safe Places Inclusion Round will also deliver approximately 720 new Safe Places, taking the total number being delivered in the program to around 1,480 across Australia when completed.
The Round will also focus on increasing access to appropriate emergency accommodation for First Nations women and children, women and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women and children with a disability.
For more details on the Safe Places program, visit the Department of Social Services website.
