WESNET
is the peak body for women's domestic and family violence services.
WESNET has approximately 400 member services. WESNET's objectives
include promoting high quality service provision to women who are victims
of violence and their accompanying children. WESNET particularly values
the work of Indigenous, non-English speaking background, the work with
children, rural and remote and disability service sectors, and those
organisations who are members of WESNET.
Background
Centrelink
has a crisis payment available for people who are in financial hardship
and have left a violent relationship. To receive a crisis payment, people
must be eligible for a Centrelink social security pension or benefit.
WESNET believes there is a need to develop a policy that allows for
a crisis payment to also be available for the woman who chooses to stay in
her own home.
WESNET's
Philosophy
WESNET
is a value driven peak body which recognises that many women escaping
domestic and family violence will need a place of safety and or high
security such as a women's refuge. Research
shows that leaving a violent relationship exposes the woman to greater
risk and harm. However, some
women may choose to remain safely in the family home along with her
children. WESNET supports the right for women to decide on their own
safety needs.
WESNET's
Policy
A
woman experiencing domestic and family violence, and where she has
obtained a domestic violence protection order or exclusion order from the
court ordering the perpetrator to stay away from
the family home, should be entitled to a Centrelink crisis payment
in order to ameliorate "hardship" issues that she is facing,
including the need to enhance her safety.
Some examples are:
-
Paying
bills;
-
changing the
locks;
-
repairing broken
windows;
-
repairing holes
in doors/walls;
-
replacing
broken/damaged house hold items;
-
replacement of a
damaged telephone;
-
procuring mobile
phone or alarm system;
-
providing
emergency relief funds eg. Food;
-
sudden increased
costs.
Concerns
Whilst
WESNET supports the crisis payment to women escaping domestic and family
violence who wish to stay
safely in their own homes, we have a number of
concerns about the various pitfalls that accompany these new
directions.
Specifically:
·
her
ongoing safety can not be guaranteed;
·
the lack of
services to support many of these women;
·
rural and remote
women are more likely to be endangered because of the lack of service
systems such as police, women's support groups, etc.;
·
we can never
predict a perpetrators behaviour, only the risk;
Recent
changes to the interpretation of the Centrelink crisis payment has in some
cases directed crisis payments to perpetrators who leave the family home
as a result of a court order. WESNET is not adverse to this payment as
long as it enhances options and safety for
women and children experiencing domestic and family violence.
We are also concerned that:
·
a
perpetrator faces few consequences for his use of violence, and then
receives an extra payment from Centrelink;
·
that some
perpetrators will use the prospect of an imminent payment to abuse;
·
perpetuates the
myth that he "just needs to cool down", rather than the
understanding that domestic
and family violence is about a relationship of
power and control.
WESNET
reiterates the safety of women and children is paramount.
Developed
and adopted at the WESNET National Committee Meeting Melbourne (May 2005).
WESNET
acknowledges the work on this and related issues being undertaken across
Australia, particularly current work by the NSW Women's Refuge Movement.