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Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre has been awarded a grant under the Safe Places Emergency Accommodation Program, funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, to deliver 102 safe places for women and children escaping family and domestic violence in Victoria.
As part of the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032, the Australian Government committed $100 million over 5 years from 2022 to 2027 to continue the Safe Places Emergency Accommodation Program.
Safe Steps is one of 19 recipients of the grant program announced by the Minister for Social Services, Hon Amanda Rishworth MP, that will fund new projects to build 720 safe places.
Safe Steps is Victoria’s statewide 24/7 crisis response centre that handles around 150,000 calls every year from people escaping family and domestic violence. Safe Steps provides more than 35,000 bed nights of crisis accommodation annually – housing more than 100 women and children every night across Victoria.
Safe Steps has been actively advocating for crisis accommodation alternatives to motels and is delighted with the announcement which is a big step forward in getting people into more appropriate emergency accommodation.
“We know that many of our most vulnerable women and children are in motels each night because there are not enough supported emergency accommodation options available. We are dedicated to increasing the supply of crisis accommodation through the expansion of the Safe Steps Sanctuary model, which provides 24/7 onsite-support and specialised therapeutic crisis services for the people at the highest risk of harm from domestic and family violence.”
“Whether it be healthcare, disability services, immigration assistance or legal support – our aim is to provide all of these wrap-around services and more in partnership with other providers – so that victim-survivors leave Sanctuary on a path to recovery that is free from family violence,” says Safe Steps CEO, Chelsea Tobin.
The additional 102 safe places to be delivered at Sanctuary will have a focus on women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women and children with disabilities.
“We will involve people with lived experience and collaborate with our partners representing those groups to ensure our safe places meet the needs of victim-survivors who face multiple barriers to accessing family violence services,” says Tobin.
This project will expand the existing Sanctuary site which has provided support to more than 200 victim-survivors since opening in October 2023.
Media contact
Rachel Misitano | Mob: 0418 457 390 | Email: media@safesteps.org.au
Background
Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre is the only statewide 24/7 crisis response service delivering support and pathways to safety for all people experiencing domestic and family violence in Victoria.
Safe Steps makes and takes over 150,000 calls every year and provides over 35,000 bed nights in secure crisis accommodation for families fleeing family or domestic violence.
Safe Steps conducts risk assessments and safety planning, and for those deemed at the highest risk, provides pathways into emergency and supported accommodation services including refuges and motels across Victoria.
Any person who is worried about their safety – or the safety of someone else – can contact Safe Steps, at any time, by calling 1800 015 188 (24/7) , emailing safesteps@safesteps.org.au (24/7) or through webchat at safesteps.org.au/chat (M-F, 9am-midnight).
