New home for domestic and family violence support service

• The Centre for Women & Co. have found a new home in Springwood thanks to the support of a $3 million grant from the Miles Government.
• The new location will ensure more women and children escaping domestic, family and sexual violence will be able to get the support they need in a central location.
• The new centre will begin operating from the new building in mid-June.
• The Centre for Women & Co. also provides a variety of women’s health, wellbeing, and advocacy services.

Since the pandemic, demand for specialist domestic and family violence services has grown.

Two in five Australian women have experienced violence since the age of 15 and one in four women have experienced violence by an intimate partner or family member.

The Miles Government is committed to doing everything it can to end domestic and family violence and that’s why, it has provided $3 million towards the purchase of a building which will be the new home for the Centre for Women & Co.

The three-storey building at Cinderella Drive, Springwood is in a central location, close to transport which will make it easier for women in Logan and the Redlands to access crucial support such as counselling, crisis intervention, safety planning and other support to help victim survivors recover and rebuild their lives.

The Centre also provides court support, women’s health services, community education and women’s advocacy.

The Centre for Women & Co.’s latest impact statement highlighted the organisations dedication with more than 37,800 hours of service provided in the past year, including 12,000 hours towards crisis responses and 4000 hours of counselling for DFV survivors.

Work is underway to ensure the Centre for Women & Co. will open their doors to the community in mid-June.

Since 2015, the Miles Government has invested more than $1.75 billion towards ending domestic, family and sexual violence, and to keeping women safe.

Quotes attributable to Premier Steven Miles:

“No person should ever live in fear that someone they love could kill or hurt them. Women & Co has provided critical services for people escaping family and domestic violence and we thank them for that lifesaving work.

“Our government will always invest in what we know works and the track record of the Women & Co is literally lifesaving.

“We know that the services provided here help to keep people safe but also play a vital role in breaking the cycle, which is so important.”

Quotes attributable to Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Trade and Investment and Member for Woodridge, Cameron Dick:

“The Centre for Women & Co have provided life-saving and vital services for women and children facing domestic and family violence from its Woodridge head office for 30 years.

“The centre’s incredible workers face the grim reality of domestic and family violence across Logan and Redlands communities every day.

“Last year, these workers spent more than 12,500 hours responding to domestic and family violence calls for help, plus thousands of hours counselling, assistance and running and behavioural programs.

“This $3 million grant enables The Centre for Women & Co to buy a larger head office which will allow them to offer even more services, ensuring the health and safety of even more women and children experiencing domestic and family violence.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health and Minister for Women, Shannon Fentiman:

“Our hardworking domestic and family violence services are on the frontline, working tirelessly to provide the hands-on support women and their children need to escape violence.

“That’s why the Miles Government is making sure the Centre for Women & Co to continue their invaluable work, providing crucial support to more women in Logan and the Redlands.

“Women face significant barriers to accessing support when they make the brave decision to leave a violent situation.

“The Centre for Women & Co.’s new location, will make it easier for women and girls to get the assistance and wrap around support to rebuild their lives and plan for the future.

“I’m so proud of our government’s record investment and commitment to reforms that better protect women and hold perpetrators to account.”

Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Yvette D’Ath:

“This is a great announcement as we approach the halfway mark of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month.

“The Centre for Women and Co. has helped many women flee domestic and family violence over the decades, so I’m glad the Miles Government can assist them to purchase a new facility that will help support victim-survivors.

“This investment is just an example of the support we can give to an organisation, which in turn, supports the brave women who make the decision to escape violence.

“As a government we have invested more than $1.75 billion in this space since 2015, given support services a $36 million funding boost and we have changed laws including making coercive control a stand-alone criminal offence, all with the goal of eliminating domestic and family violence. But we can’t achieve that without the support of organisations like The Centre for Women and Co.”

Quotes attributable to the Member for Springwood, Mick de Brenni:

“Locals have been saying to me they want more services for women and girls, and the decision to help bring this service here is a direct response of listening to our community.

“I want to thank the young people in our community especially, like Yolanda, Olivia, Georgia and Rianna, who’ve championed further action to support women and girls in Springwood.

“The investment here to deliver this facility is an indication of the Miles government’s continued commitment to supporting equity, respect, safety, and diversity in our community.

“Labor Governments will always support good services like this one, we’ll never cut funding like the LNP will have to do because they won’t support making coal companies pay their share.

“Funding the Centre for Women & Co to make Springwood home, is another step to ensure our community is safe for all, especially for women and girls.”

Quotes attributable to The Centre for Women & Co Chief Executive Officer Stacey Ross:

“For 30 years, we have dedicated our lives to educating, supporting and empowering women and their families across Logan and Redlands.

“The important work we do to ensure the health and safety of women and children experiencing violence, especially in times of crisis, is vital.

“We continue to build our services in early intervention and prevention for women from all walks of life.

“The Centre for Women & Co has seen a significant demand for our services and this new building is another step towards creating change.

“The purchase of the building would not have been possible without the help of the Queensland Government. Their ongoing investment into the safety and wellbeing of women and children will keep them safe.

“This will allow us to reach more vulnerable women in need of support and those fleeing violent situations.”

ENDS