WA government announce extra $86 million package for family and domestic violence services

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The State Government has unveiled an additional $86 million package to boost support for family and domestic violence services.  The funding has been widely welcomed by the sector but some say it's fallen short of meeting the surge in demand.

Transcript

00:00A week into the 16 days in WA campaign against family and domestic violence, the Premier

00:11has announced an extra $18.7 million to be shared among refuge service providers across

00:16the state.

00:17The funding boost will mean that refuges can continue their vital work to support victim

00:22survivors to leave dangerous relationships and break the cycle of violence.

00:27An investment long awaited by the sector.

00:30But this is a significant announcement and an important step in the right direction in

00:34understanding that viability and sustainability needs of the refuge services.

00:40It's also largely embraced the $8.2 million in funding to support children and young people

00:45impacted by FDV.

00:47That's what's deeply pleasing for the sector to know that this is going to, moving forward,

00:52that this will be core business for government.

00:54Meanwhile the community legal sector has welcomed nearly $3 million to extend a mediation

00:59program for family violence restraining orders, which has seen breach rates drop significantly.

01:05But are disappointed they've missed out on more.

01:08Our sector supports thousands of women experiencing family violence every year in Western Australia

01:14and we are turning away more than 100 women seeking FDV help every week.

01:19The new funding brings the total investment in preventing family and domestic violence

01:23since 2017 to more than half a billion dollars, in what the Premier says is a testament of

01:29his government's commitment.

01:31My government will continue to support victim survivors, we'll continue to support those

01:35great and brave people who work in victim survivor services and we'll continue to do

01:41everything that we can to support the effort by everyone in the community to reduce FDV.

01:47A promise the sector is hopeful will be fulfilled.

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