Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697631782301.pdf (Australia)
HAWKESBURY AREA WOMEN AND KIDS SERVICE INC THE WOMENS COTTAGE ABN12756046044 22 Bosworth street (PO Box 305) Richmond NSW 2753 Website: www.womenscottage.org.au Phone: 0245 784 190 Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence This response relates to the following aspects of the terms of reference to the Inquiry: • The experiences of all women, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, rural women, culturally and linguistically diverse women, LGBTQI women, women with a disability, and women on temporary visas.
• The impact of natural disasters and other significant events such as COVID-19, including health requirements such as staying at home, on the prevalence of domestic violence and provision of support services.

• The views and experiences of frontline services, advocacy groups and others throughout this unprecedented time.

This information has been previously sent to the attention of: o The Hon.
Mark Raymond SPEAKMAN, SC MP NSW Attorney General, and Minister for Prevention of Domestic Violence cronulla@parliament.nsw.gov.au o Ms (Trish) Trisha Lee DOYLE, BA, DipEd MP, NSW Shadow Minister for Women and Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence bluemountains@parliament.nsw.gov.au o Ms Susan Templeman MP – Parliament of Australia, Member for Macquarie, NSW susan.templeman.mp@aph.gov.au o Monique Dam, Advocacy and Prevention Manager, Domestic Violence NSW Advocacy@dvnsw.org.au Dear Madam / Sir, The Women’s Cottage asked for the Inquiry’s attention and response in relation to the specific needs of women and children impacted by domestic and family violence in the Hawkesbury Region.
As the lead DV specialist front line service in this regional area, The Women’s Cottage seeks to highlight a number of significant issues that do not appear to be fully recognised or understood in the application of current policy planning and decision making.

As a result of this community needs is this area are not being fully met.

We appreciate your time and attention and look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely, Maria Losurdo, Manager The Women’s Cottage Richmond NSW Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 167 HAWKESBURY AREA WOMEN AND KIDS SERVICE INC THE WOMENS COTTAGE ABN12756046044 22 Bosworth street (PO Box 305) Richmond NSW 2753 Website: www.womenscottage.org.au Phone: 0245 784 190 We ask your attention in these critical issues: 1.
The plight of local service providers across NSW that provide critical frontline services to support women and children impacted by domestic / family violence but are not currently recognised and who do not receive any additional resources within an environment of increasing demand and community need.

2.

The need for recognition and inclusion of pre-COVID needs and systems gaps as part of the assessment and planning for current COVID response strategies.
The most significant of these issues being: • Reports of Domestic Violence have been increasing over past years.

These figures dramatically spiked even further because of drought affected areas, and then because of the recent bushfires and major flooding.

The COVID-19 crisis has overshadowed these events, but they cause significant ongoing community distress.

• The availability of ongoing casework support for women fleeing domestic violence is a major deficit in the current service system across NSW.
Equally, flexible brokerage resources to help women re-establish their lives safely and quickly is also in very limited supply.

• Both these aspects of support are critical in offering women the best chance of not returning to violent perpetrators and staying free of violence in the future.
• Current methods of using rates of AVO applications are NOT an accurate method of assessing DV rates or needs as they do not take account of the number of women who feel unable to report or leave their situation, regional and remote issues also apply.

This is specifically true for Aboriginal women who can be afraid to involve police because they fear what will happen to their partner in custody.
The Women’s Cottage is calling for all increases in funding and resources to support women and children impacted by family / domestic violence go out to ALL specialist frontline services (not just refuges and SHLV services) and that all COVID-19 specific related planning and resourcing for DV support take into account ALL pre-existing issues and baseline system deficits to best meet community needs.
Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 167 HAWKESBURY AREA WOMEN AND KIDS SERVICE INC THE WOMENS COTTAGE ABN12756046044 22 Bosworth street (PO Box 305) Richmond NSW 2753 Website: www.womenscottage.org.au Phone: 0245 784 190 Local issues for Family / Domestic Violence during COVID-19 and beyond The Women’s Cottage has been offering services to vulnerable and at-risk women and children in the Hawkesbury for nearly 40 years.
The service is funded by the State Government under the Department of Communities and Justice TEI Funding program.

In 2017 – 2018 The Women’s Cottage responded to a total of 2,500 requests for assistance – 38% were DV related In 2019 – 2019 The Women’s Cottage responded to a total of 3,500 requests for assistance – 75% were DV related Many of these are multiple contacts from women struggling in the violent situations and feeling unable to leave.
These figures have increased dramatically in past years because of the ongoing impacts of drought to a largely rural community and again because of the trauma and family stress related to recent bushfires and flooding.

This situation has worsened further as COVID-19 which has in turn overshadowed recognition and support of families still suffering from prior events.

Since the beginning of April 2020, The Women’s Cottage have responded to 68 requests for assistance in relation to domestic violence.
28% of these cases were from new clients 53% where from women still living in the violent perpetrator 30% scored at high levels of threat based on the DVSAT framework 20% were unable to receive the support needed from police We expect further significant rises in women reaching out for help after restrictions continue to ease because many are not yet safe to call because the violent perpetrator is always in the house with her.
Yet despite being the lead, and indeed only, local service specialising in support for women at all stages of the impacts of domestic / family violence.

And even though rates of reported domestic / family violence in the Hawkesbury have officially increased.

The Women’s Cottage is NOT on the list the State or Federal Government currently use to determine where to allocate additional funds to respond to domestic / family violence as part of COVID specific responses.
And The Women’s Cottage was NOT on the list used for any previous State or Federal Government initiatives to increase the capacity of front-line FDV services.
Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 167 HAWKESBURY AREA WOMEN AND KIDS SERVICE INC THE WOMENS COTTAGE ABN12756046044 22 Bosworth street (PO Box 305) Richmond NSW 2753 Website: www.womenscottage.org.au Phone: 0245 784 190 Issues face by The Women’s Cottage: The Hawkesbury is a rural region with many isolated and hard to reach communities and properties.

There is a higher proportion of guns on properties and families with only one car.
There is also a higher number of women in domestic violence who have pets and other animals that they will not leave and/or where there are direct threats to harm those animals if she does.

There are also systemic issues and barriers for women that reduce appropriate responses when women to report DV and/or seek AVO’s.
Many families in this area have also been impacted by drought for many years, recent bushfires and extensive flooding both in terms of increased isolation and distress, property damage and loss of income.

As a result of these complex issues and barriers The Women’s Cottage works with a very high number of women who feel unable to leave their situation.
The Women’s Cottage is also limited in support that can be provided as it is currently funded for a phone in / drop-in services only and does NOT have capacity for ongoing / intensive casework support.

This ongoing support is critical to help resolve the complex issues faced be women experiencing domestic violence and to see a woman through to long term safety.
Designated case worker support could assist women with issues such as immediate safety and accessing crisis accommodation, AVO / court, addressing health issues, longer term housing and set up costs, Victim Services claims for counselling and home security, establishing community connections (COVID specific and other as things change), parenting / home schooling, support family law and other legal issues as well as other issues learning independent living skills for that woman and/or her children.
The Women’s Cottage estimates that it would cost around $23,000 to provide adequate support for 6 months for every woman fleeing domestic violence.
$7,600 casework support (based on up to 6hrs per week, including all worker related support) $5,000 brokerage / set up support (may vary for large families or those with special needs) $10,400 accommodation (based on $400 per week) Casework is critical to maintaining safety and should be built into funding / service delivery for all existing DV related services during and after COVID-19 as a matter of urgency.

This must also cover women who are still in the unsafe relationship.
Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 167 HAWKESBURY AREA WOMEN AND KIDS SERVICE INC THE WOMENS COTTAGE ABN12756046044 22 Bosworth street (PO Box 305) Richmond NSW 2753 Website: www.womenscottage.org.au Phone: 0245 784 190 The Women’s Cottage Feedback - Support Needed for Women in DFV During COVID-19 • Immediate / easy to access crisis accommodation must be available, including capacity to use local motels / private accommodation if refuges or other options are not available.
(Despite expanded resourcing, local accommodation to support women leaving DV is not flowing through to this area).

• Crisis accommodation needs to be flexible and consider needs of large families and families with special needs.

• Length of access to crisis accommodation (without having to move to different forms of crisis accommodation) needs to last for as long as needed to get through the COVID-19 crisis.
This should be at least 1 month longer than COVID-19 restrictions are in place if private or other longer-term accommodation has not yet been found.

• Additional resources for designated casework for women both after leaving DFV and/or while still in unsafe situation are desperately needed.

• Police must be willing and able to provide prompt support / protection for women experiencing violence at home and after they leave and are in crisis accommodation.
• Preferably local accommodation is safe to do so that has the ongoing support can be provided.

If not safe to stay locally, flexibility to move women into motels / private accommodation in other areas where ongoing support is available.

• Resources to provide women with leaving and set up costs.

Many women leave unsafe situations without furniture / possessions.
This could include relocation to other areas where family support is available, eg: airfares, petrol, accommodation on route, advocacy re border crossings restrictions and support to board / care for pets and large animals such as horses • Clearly defined pathways and options that any worker can provide to women in or at risk of DFV, ie: clearly and accurately informed sector and ‘No Wrong Door’ access to support for women and children escaping FDV.
There is still inadequate clarity across the sector on this point.

Main Themes for Service Delivery Moving Forward: Guaranteed continuous accommodation (appropriate to family size & needs) for duration of COVID restrictions and after to allow time to find appropriate long-term housing.

Ongoing casework support MUST be available to women after she flees and/or while still in still in unsafe situations for at least 6 months or longer as required.
Flexible brokerage resources to meet varied and complex needs of individual families.

Clear / accurate information on support options / referral pathways for women in FDV Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violenceSubmission 167