Give Us Shelter: Why New Domestic Violence Funding Isn’t Anywhere Enough

Guest Author Uncategorized

In this post, published at No Place for Sheep earlier today, Dr Jennifer Wilson makes a scathing attack on pm turnbull’s “new” money to combat the scourge of domestic violence. Thank you, Jennifer.

The Turnbull government’s announcement last week of $100 million worth of funding to address domestic violence is better than than silence, and goes to some small way towards acknowledging the enormous problem this country has with male violence against women.

But what it does not do, and for this appalling omission the government should be unrelentingly and loudly pilloried, is fund the urgent immediate need for frontline services such as refuges and community legal centres, both of which are a woman’s first stop when she’s forced to flee a dangerous domestic situation.

What this says to me is that safe, secure, un-threatened people such as politicians have absolutely no idea what it is like to be in a situation of such extreme danger that you have to flee, or risk injury or death to yourself and your children by staying.

And flee to where, exactly?

Not only do these fortunate politicians have no idea what this situation feels like, they apparently don’t care. Neither do have they the imagination to picture such a scene, and how they might feel in it.

Legal services are outraged at Minister for Women Michaelia Cash’s apparent spin on funding cuts that will directly affect women suffering domestic violence, and will see the centres in dire financial straits by 2017.

If politicians had the capacity to imagine themselves in such a situation, they would perhaps begin to understand that providing refuges for women and children must be the first priority in any plan to end family violence, in conjunction with some of the other options funding currently covers.

As I write this and as you read it, there will be women, alone or with their children, trying to get out of a house which is not a safe environment for them because it’s inhabited by a violent male intent on doing them harm. They need somewhere to go. Right now.

This ought not to be a difficult situation for a government to remedy. Providing funding for women’s refuges and legal centres is not going to break the budget. Yet, after decades of feminist activism we are going backwards: closing refuges, threatening the funding of community legal centres, handing over the refuges that remain to religious organisations who have little or no experience with the repercussions of domestic violence, and whose workers are primarily trained to deal with homelessness, not specifically with traumatised women and children fleeing abuse.

Solutions to domestic violence can’t be a one size fits all. Some women will be able to stay in their homes. Others will absolutely not. The period when a woman attempts to leave an abusive situation is well-recognised as the most dangerous for her, and for children involved. It is when she is most likely to be murdered, or severely injured, as the perpetrator’s rage escalates at the prospect of abandonment, and loss of control over his partner. Nothing will help in such situations if first-off, the woman has nowhere to go.

This is not complicated. Why will politicians not act to save women’s lives in the most pressing, the most obvious way, by adequately funding and staffing refuges and legal centres for the increasing numbers of women and children who have to get out, and have no place to which they can flee?

448 thoughts on “Give Us Shelter: Why New Domestic Violence Funding Isn’t Anywhere Enough”

  2. According to 7.5 (The Lib-Nat-ABC coalition) Turnbull’s looking for a place on the Security Council shows how different Waffles is from the NE.

  4. Had a strange experience this afternoon. A visit from the Police asking did I witness an incident nine months ago which I regarded at the time as just a minor traffic infringement. I did and I related my recollection of the event. I was asked would I give a signed statement I agreed. Now I am now going to be served with a summons to appear in court as a prosecution witness. The Police would not tell me what charges the Defendant is facing other than it is more than a traffic infringement. Should have kept my big mouth shut!

  5. Well, Richard, is your background in things medical that is encouraging another “Look at me!”?

    Have you looked at past reviews?

    Do you know that that Your Government is bent on introducing a two-tier system here, a la USA?

    If you have, do you really care?

    Labor risks cutting itself out of negotiations by seeking to gain political advantage by opposing government policies, the Greens leader, Richard Di Natale has warned.

    At his first address to the National Press Club Di Natale said the Greens supported a wholesale review of the Medicare benefits scheme.

    He said he was “shocked” when Labor opposed the review.

    “This is everything that’s wrong with politics. Here we have got an opportunity to improve the health system. The evidence is very clear about where we need to make changes, and I think they saw a political advantage rather than putting policy first.”

    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/30/richard-di-natale-shocked-that-labor-opposes-medicare-review

  8. “Anja Taylor investigates the science behind low volume, high intensity fitness training, and takes on the challenge of going from couch slouch to fighting fit, with just six minutes of exercise a week! #ABCCatalyst”

  11. Remember they supported the pension cuts in return for a promise (automatically reneged) to consider changes to super.

  14. This little black duck

    “Putin has been granted permission from the upper house of parliament ”
    .
    Even if it is just going through the motions in this case at least their boss cocky has to ask parliament.

  15. leonetwo yes that was the snazzy little number I meant- and this woman is extolled as a fashionista! Baffle me-She’s not at a party, she not on a date – she’s representing Australia and should be conducting business in a business like manner. A friend calls her the ‘walking clothes peg’ While I cannot get past those sunken pits of eyes.

  16. People in Gosford not at all happy about Scrott Morrison’s plans to move ATO offices to Gosford. A dirty deal has been done between the NSW Baird government and the federal government.

    Community backlash against waterfront views for public servants in Gosford
    http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/community-backlash-against-waterfront-views-for-public-servants-in-gosford-20150930-gjxxz4.html

    Click to access 150928-JOINT-MEDIA-RELEASE-Harris-ONeill-Smith-Community-Has-Spoken-O….pdf

    Good luck to the people of Gosford and their protest.

  17. Catalyst
    I’ve just watched last Saturday’s episode of Dr Who. Davros’ pits of eyes reminded me so very much of Ms Bishop.

  18. Why would anyone be surprised with that dipstick DiNatale?
    He is the perfect leader for the current greens party.
    Only caring about issues like asylum seekers and SSM.
    All the issues that give the high income up themselves greens and their supporters a warm inner feeling so they can assuage their guilt about fucking over working lower class Australians who they dont give a shit about.
    Time and time again these real soy-latte drinking turds show with their actions that they would prefer their upper class inner city gay constituents the right to get married or a few undeserved and unwanted economic refugees demanding their way into the country ahead of helping the homeless, low-paid, pensioners, mums not on 150k, refugees languishing in african death camps and many, many others who they constantly patronise and belittle in that self satisfied, smug and smarmy fashion that only these blue-greens can pull off.
    Environment? Not for these dimwits who claim to be the party for the environment.
    The environment that will I guess somehow flourish whilst the greens go about their stated policy of providing plane trips into the country for any of the worlds 60 million displaced people.
    just one of too many to mention ridiculous, fanciful and uncosted policies the Greens have.
    It should always be remembered by any true progressive voter how the Greens time and time again have been so quick to trust and jump into bed with the libs.
    If it wasn’t for these moronic greens we would of had a fully functioning CPRS over 5 years ago that would of killed of this now poisonously partisan issue.
    Or the Malaysian solution which would of seen no Nauru or Manus Island hell holes and given these people a chance to start a new life in a comparatively modern, safe and prosperous country.
    Im still waiting for one brainless greens supporter to tell me that Reza Berati would of been killed in Malaysia?
    What about their stunts, always aimed at hurting the ALP like Hipster try-hard Adam Bandts peurile and laughable week on the dole.
    Just one example of the duplicitous and all talk no action greens and the way they either give a free pass to the libs or repeatedly get conned by the libs.
    They should be viewed as every much an enemy to the good of this country and the custodians of our fantastic way of life, the ALP than their soul mates in the LNP and their feigned and hollow crocodile tears and totally undeserved moral superiority should be treated with the disdain and contempt it deserves.

  19. Happy as I am to invoke genitalia, I think we should abbreviate “Scrott Morrison” to “Scrotum”, not that he reflects any change of temperature.

  25. stonyhabbott
    Exactly.

    Di Natale’s enthusiastic support for the government’s Medicare slashing and burning is the last straw.

    He’s a doctor, you would think he would understand the importance of the items the government wants to take off the Medicare list. But no, there he is, telling us it’s a brilliant idea……

  26. puffy
    A bit bright and then some.

    I just wonder how many people were in the hall to hear Bananas. I’m betting you could have counted them on your fingers and had a few fingers spare.

  30. We Felidae, especially those of us who belong to the Pantherinae sub-family, deeply resent any comments that claim any similarity between the thing that calls herself ‘Foreign Minister’ and felines of any colour or size.

  32. “The Department of Social Services manages approximately one-third of the federal budget.

    I look forward to working with the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Christian Porter MP, in reforming our welfare system.”

    “My work in developing the Welfare Cashless Debit Card trial will continue as the government seeks to address the impacts caused by welfare-fuelled alcohol and drug abuse that exists in some Australian communities,” he said.​Tudge said he would continue to work on developing the Welfare Cashless Debit Card, which only this week was slammed by welfare advocates.

    Tudge was one of a slew of surprise Ministerial announcements, with Health Minister Sussan Ley taking on the Aged Care portfolio from Christian Porter.

    Ken Wyatt was also sworn in as Assistant Health Minister, making him the first indigenous person to be included in the Ministry of the Federal Parliament.

    UnitingCare Australia’s National Director, Lin Hatfield Dodds, welcomed the announcement that Ley would be Minister for Ageing.

    – See more at: http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2015/09/turnbull%E2%80%99s-surprise-social-services-shuffle#sthash.pIdyG0Tt.dpuf

  33. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    More from Adele Ferguson on the 7-Eleven scandal.
    http://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace-relations/7eleven-ceaseless-scandal-finally-forces-change-20150930-gjy54f.html
    The issue of bullying by surgeons is gathering steam. At last people are saying “enough is enough!”
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/systemic-bullying-at-broken-hill-hospital-nurses-claim-20150930-gjxyrg.html
    West Coast Eagles player Daniel Chick spills the bean on the drug culture rampant during the team’s 2006 premiership year.
    http://www.watoday.com.au/victoria/former-eagles-player-reveals-clubs-drug-culture-20150930-gjykam.html
    Here’s a dire warning about the new wave of illicit drugs hitting our shores.
    http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/the-turbo-ice-age-20150930-gjy2bj.html
    Nick X has had enough of publicly funded and blatantly political advertising .
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/government-spends-10m-spruiking-china-fta-to-australians-20150930-gjyaw6.html
    As pressure mounts on Turnbull to come up with some “doable” policies Kate Carnell comes out with this doozy! “If we can’t get more women, young and older people into the workforce, we can’t get productivity up.” Productivity is doing more with less, but she thinks it’s all about unit hourly labour rate. Pathetic!
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/business-pushes-malcolm-turnbull-for-actual-doable-policies-20150930-gjy4t7.html
    Yet another example of the psychological damage and effects of religion on the poor and ignorant.
    http://www.theage.com.au/world/mob-in-india-kills-muslim-man-over-rumours-of-cow-slaughter-20150930-gjykvf.html
    The Senate often does very good work.
    http://www.theage.com.au/business/property/property-spruiker-jamie-mcintyre-called-a-conman-by-senators-seeking-lost-millions-20150930-gjyhsg.html
    Here is some good data on the apparently widespread gaming of the emissions testing on diesels. There are some very excessive differences between standard testing and real life drive cycle testing on a number of models. I am pleased to see that the Mazda 6 diesel I recently bought is right on the bottom of the list.
    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/sep/30/wide-range-of-cars-emit-more-pollution-in-real-driving-conditions-tests-show
    More of the same as we continue without a Sex Discrimination Commissioner.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/vacant-sex-discrimination-role-has-advocates-concerned-20150930-gjy3pz.html

  34. Section 2 . . .

    Alan Austin – Abbott is gone but the lies carry on.
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/abbott-is-gone-but-the-lies-carry-on,8210
    Stephen Koukoulas previews the next big issue for discussion – just how big should government be.
    http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/sep/30/debate-about-how-big-government-should-be-is-the-next-political-battlefield
    Reclaim Australia goes commercial and releases a bizarre range of products.
    https://newmatilda.com/2015/09/30/racist-who-has-everything-reclaim-australia-releases-clothing-line-coffee-mugs-and-tote
    Bob Ellis says Julie Bishop is a laughing stock.
    http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/09/30/laughing-stock/
    The Auditor-General’s evaluations have been thwarted by extensive use of secrecy provisions. Surely not by this open and transparent government!
    http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/australian-public-services-30-billion-in-secret-deals-20150930-gjxz3c.html
    Abbott. Bolt and the stages of grief.
    http://theaimn.com/abbott-bolt-and-the-stages-of-grief/
    At the 2015 Hamer Oration Julian Burnside asks just what sort of nation are we?
    https://independentaustralia.net/australia/australia-display/julian-burnside-what-sort-of-country-are-we,8212
    This article from a Professor of Health is well worth reading.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/futureproofing-healthcare–press-the-reset-button-20150930-gjxxrn.html
    “View from the Street” has a good crack at Eric Abetz and others.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/view-from-the-street/view-from-the-street-which-outspoken-womanhater-arent-we-letting-in-today-20150930-gjybxu.html

  39. Turnbull fought tooth and claw against this and other planned satellites, saying they were an unnecessary expense. I bet he and Fifield will be out there today talking up this launch and claiming all the credit for a Labor initiative.

    Sky Muster: Rocket carrying NBN satellite launches amid concerns internet speeds overpromised
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-01/sky-muster-launches-amid-concerns-internet-speeds-overpromised/6817998

    Their ABC is doing their very best to trash talk this, claiming speeds will be slower than expected. They would do that, wouldn’t they, good little lackeys that they are.

  40. leonetwo

    I saw the launch of the satellite and felt sick at the prospect of the Abbott-Turnbull government’s “waving to the crowds” as they take credit for its launch .

    Spot the bullshit from PM Snake Oil . This is from Farmonline so the boys and gals out bush will be reminded of it.

    “The [satellite] will be a game changer for those living in the bush and will help bridge the digital divide currently experienced by many,” he said in mid-August when the launch date was announced.

    .

    In opposition, Turnbull had derided the satellite plan approved by former Labor communications minister Stephen Conroy as wildly expensive and completely unnecessary.

    “Don’t buy yourself a Camry, a Falcon – buy yourself a Rolls-Royce, a Bentley,” he said in February 2012.

    “Nothing but the best will do. Nothing but the most expensive will do.”

    http://www.farmonline.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/sky-muster-a-rural-game-changer/2744300.aspx

    The AFR and SMH also remember our snake oil PM’s previous opinion.
    .
    The ‘Rolls-Royce’ NBN satellite Malcolm Turnbull didn’t want is ready for launch

    http://www.afr.com/technology/the-rolls-royce-nbn-satellite-malcolm-turnbull-didnt-want-is-ready-for-launch-20150923-gjtm6f
    .
    The NBN satellite Malcolm Turnbull never wanted prepares for liftoff

    http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/government-it/the-satellite-malcolm-turnbull-never-wanted-prepares-for-liftoff-20150825-gj7t3j.html

  41. Don’t get your hopes up for that satellite…cause it really will be “lite”…If it was going to be utilised as the Labor NBN. intended, then yes, the 2% that it was allocated for would be well served, but now it is going to be used as a work-horse for ALL regional areas until the “Fixed Wireless” antennas are built and put into service…as I understand it, THAT will be done on a regional population density / user demand basis…ie..only into those more populated regional towns…which, according to our recent ‘information evening meeting” w/ Telstra /NBN. corp., could reach out to 2020.

    So that sat’ is going to have to service the WHOLE of regional Aust’…I don’t think I need to expand on THAT theme!…

    Yeah!, sure..”Multi -Mix”…like that after piss-up chunder!

  42. So, of course..this shitty 25mps. download (if constant), and the complex arrangement of multi -mix, multi ISP. services, indefinate time schedule all combined with the inevitable inter council/ gov’ SNAFU. will see us locked intop a regional ghetto of the ill-informed , ill-serviced , un-developed backward towns with the younger gen’ fleeing to the cities to get any kind of hi-tech future.

  43. In the local town, I hear Telstra are still signing up & connecting up ADSL2. customers…wtf!

  44. l2

    Their ABC is doing their very best to trash talk this, claiming speeds will be slower than expected. They would do that, wouldn’t they, good little lackeys that they are.

    How is questioning this sucking up to the Government?

  45. jaycee423

    Sheesh . So our PM Bankster even nobbled that. He has been as big a vandal as Abbott and at this rate will be bigger one.

  46. Cowards running away from yet another senate defeat. Turnbull won’t want a failed bill so early in his term as PM so it’s time for a rethink.They will take their ‘new’ plans to the next election. I’m betting those new plans will be even worse than the now binned ones. It should be a real vote winner – ‘elect us and pay more for your uni degree’.

    Turnbull government abandons controversial university reforms in major departure from Abbott era

    The Turnbull government has dropped its plan to allow universities to set their own fees from next year, and will go back to the drawing board on higher education reform.

    Education and Training Minister Simon Birmingham will announce on Thursday that he will not reintroduce the government’s higher education bill into Parliament for another vote this year

    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/turnbull-government-shelves-controversial-university-reforms-in-major-departure-from-abbott-era-20150930-gjynlt.html

  47. One can see the Machievellian hand in the Turnbull “coup”…The LNP. under Abbott was going to be almost unelectable..enter the “moderate Malcolm”..bango!..instant rappor with center Libs.., Media love-fest..but little change in policy but long on obfuscation until after the next election..

    Notice the Abbott lurking about…”ready willing and able”..and perhaps the far-right nut jobs willl form their “Aust’ Alliance” party to harvest those lost rwnj. votes to gather into the LNP preferences bin.

  48. A blast from over the Tasman re Nauru etc

    Tracey Barnett: NZ blind to Aussie detention ‘gulags

    ……………………..’We’d better start talking loudly about Australia’s Guantanamo, the festering open sore that our government doesn’t want to mention much. Our blaring silence has been a particular shame, too, because Australia’s offshore prisons have earned quite a notorious reputation internationally. Christmas Island, Nauru and Manus Island have been riddled with allegations of everything from waterboarding, ‘zipping’ (plastic-tying one’s ankles and wrists to a bed frame and dropping with force), to sexual assault, child imprisonment and endemic self-harm rates

    How long will it take for our silence to condemn us too? Are ugly Australian immigration gulags just fine as long as Kiwis aren’t thrown in them?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11522014

  50. kk
    Funny, isn’t it. Everyone ignores unjust treatment of ‘others’ but squeal when ‘one of us’ is treated badly.

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