Tell the govt: fully fund women’s safety
Men’s use of gender-based violence is a crisis across the country. Yet consecutive governments have chosen not to properly resource life-saving family, sexual and domestic violence services.
Every day violence services aren't fully funded is another day women are left in danger.
Enough is enough. We’re calling on the Federal Government to design a budget for a world where women can live, work and learn free from violence. A budget that ensures that a woman or girl who has been raped doesn’t wait months for trauma counselling support. A budget that ensures services have the capacity to respond to a man at risk of using violence. And importantly a budget that ensures any person subject to violence is supported to be safe and escape their abuser.
Experts have indicated that a federal budget that does these things and puts us on track for a safer future will require $1 billion annually of resourcing. This is far from current funding levels.
Join us by calling on the federal government to make women’s safety should be a non-negotiable at the heart of their next budget.
*If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, you can call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 for 24/7 support. If you are in immediate danger call 000.
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There are gaping holes in the safety net that should be in place for women affected by sexual, domestic and family violence. Funding is urgently needed across every part of the system. Including:
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Women's legal services - that have to turn away an estimated 52,000 women every year because governments don’t fund them to meet demand.
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Family violence prevention legal services - that can’t reach all the families in need of their critical specialist services - and are calling for substantial urgent investment direct to services.
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Specialist sexual violence trauma counselling services - that aren’t properly funded by governments. That means there are dire waiting lists around the country, and many victim-survivors have to wait months.
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Specialist domestic and family violence services - that are not funded to meet demand for their vital case management services.
- Men’s behaviour change services - that say their vital family safety contact work (ensuring affected family members have regular support and information) is not being factored into many funding contracts.
- Refuges - that say they’re forced to turn away women in imminent danger
Join the campaign to show the Albanese Government we want women’s safety to be at the core of their budgets; and we want these services fully funded.