‘Why do women live in
refuges when the perpetrators live in the comfort to which they are accustomed? Why must
we three eke out a living on a pension of $330 per week of which $130 goes in rent while
my husband lives on his salary of $750 per week of which $85 goes on the mortgage and
lives alone in a four bedroom, two bathroom house.’
(Woman with two children who had experienced domestic violence)
Women and children who have
experienced domestic and family violence often face enormous upheaval, disruption and
disadvantage as they attempt to find a home that is safe, suitable and affordable.
A new report, Home Safe Home:
The Link between Domestic and Family Violence and Women’s Homelessness, challenges
the presumption that women should leave their homes and highlights the need for male
perpetrators to be removed to alternate accommodation.
Home Safe Home will be
launched by Senator Jocelyn Newman, Minister for Family and Community Services and
Minister for the Status of Women at Parliament House Canberra at 10.30am on Thursday, 30
November 2000 in the theatre foyer.
‘The report challenges
our thinking about the provision of services, current policies and practices, legal and
police systems, the judicial system and the housing system’ says Penny Becker, Chair
of the WESNET Partnerships Against Domestic Violence Committee.
‘The study is a first of
its kind and points to the need for greater diversity and integration in service delivery
to provide for the range of individual needs. Attitudinal change as the key.’ she
said.
WESNET, Australia’s peak
women’s organisation working to eliminate domestic and family violence, was
contracted to undertake this research as a project of the Commonwealth Government’s
Partnerships Against Domestic Violence initiative. It has been funded by the Department of
Family and Community Services and undertaken in conjunction with the Office of the Status
of Women. The research was carried out by the Social Policy Research Group, University of
South Australia.