New funding to boost domestic and family violence services in Toowoomba and Darling Downs

Women and children affected by domestic and family violence in the Toowoomba and the Darling Downs will benefit from a $9.6m million funding boost to domestic and family violence support services.

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Shannon Fentiman said the funding would enable the Domestic Violence Action Centre (DVAC) to provide vital support services to the region over the next five years.

“Services will include outreach support for women escaping domestic and family violence, counselling services for children and young people, men’s perpetrator intervention program and information and support services at Magistrates Courts as well as a range of other supports and services,” Ms Fentiman said.

“As well as domestic and family violence support services, the funding will also include responses to victims of sexual assault  and the provision of longer term support to help victims deal with the trauma of domestic and family violence through a women’s recovery service.

“The new support services will assist people living in Toowoomba, Southern Downs, Western Downs and Goondiwindi Regional Council areas.”

Ms Fentiman said DVAC had been providing services to the Toowoomba and Darling Downs area for some time and it was wonderful to have an organisation with an understanding of the local region to provide this range of new services.

“Tackling domestic and family violence is one of our highest priorities and this is why we are continuing to provide new services across the state and in particular to regional areas of Queensland,” she said.

“Of course, there has already been some incredible work done in tackling Domestic and Family Violence in this region, not least through the work of John Minz and the Toowoomba Together campaign against violence.”

Domestic Violence Action Centre CEO Gabrielle Borggaard said the service had operated in the Ipswich region since 1994 and had seen a spike in demand for services over the last year.

“We will work closely with other key stakeholders to improve responses to Domestic and Family Violence,” Ms Borggaard said.

“We are hoping to work in partnership with Child Safety Service Centres by providing a Child Safety Liaison who will be attending service centres to provide support to women impacted by D&FV as well as Child Safety Officers.”

“This partnership aims to break down barriers between services and integrate service responses to improve safety for women and children.”

The new funding has been provided as part of the $198.2 million in funding over five years announced to help implement the recommendations from the Not Now, Not Ever report of the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence.”

For more information on the government’s actions to tackle domestic and family violence in Queensland go to www.qld.gov.au/notnownotever

ENDS 

Media contact:                      Ron Goodman                        0427 781 920