ACTING AGAINST THE RISE

How many people do you think you have met in your life so far? 7,000 people? More?

What if I said a third of the women and girls you have met have experienced family and/or domestic violence one way or another?

What if I said that you most likely know who the perpetrator was?

What if I said, it has gotten worse?

The Blacktown LGA has the highest rate of domestic violence in New South Wales and from July 2019 to June 2020, The North West Sydney Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service aided a staggering 6,541 cases, with the vast majority associated to Covid-19 related financial and emotional stress.

Blacktown Workers Club Group (BWCG), who over the past seven years has worked to break the chain, to put a STOP to Domestic Violence by working with local schools, local organisations, communities, health centres and services has now taken a giant leap to put a halt to the current rise in domestic violence in the Blacktown LGA.

Across the next five years, the BWCG will be donating $500,000 to local community groups and with domestic and family violence such a complex issue with significant impact on the social cultural and economic fabric of the Blacktown community, Blacktown Women’s and Girls Health Centre is one of the first to receive the critical funding.

2020 saw one of the highest domestic violence spikes Blacktown Women’s and Girl’s Health Centre (BWGHC) has ever experienced, providing services on over 2,376 occasions from January to December, a 34% increase on the previous year, putting strain on resources to cover the concerning rise. The centre gets a critical boost in funding from Blacktown Workers Club Group, to provide emergency overnight accommodation to over 7,500 women and children in unsafe circumstances.

BWGHC CEO, Jhan Leach explains, “2020 was a really Covid challenging year for us as the COVID lockdowns sadly meant a big spike in cases. We have been calling on the government to release funds for a long time and so this donation is going to make a huge difference to women in crisis and for us to keep up with the distressing rise. It will allow us to provide a year’s worth emergency accommodation, essential supplies and, case management counselling and support through their court cases. We’re so thankful to Blacktown Workers Club Group who have their heart in right place; their local community.”

$30,000 has been donated to Jhan’s team at BWGHC, meaning that they can continue providing overnight accommodation and travel to those needing to flee home, in addition to emergency back packs which include essential items such as necessary toiletries for women and toys, nappies, bottles and formula for children and babies. Those in crisis are also provided with a shopping voucher to ensure they can keep themselves and children fed and watered in what is an incredibly distressing time.

The funding comes after years of calling on the government for additional support to help what is seen as Western Sydney’s “community cancer.” Jhan adds, “I have over 20 years’ experience in the domestic violence support sector and although we’ve worked so hard, it appears to be getting worse. We need the government to release funds that we so desperately need and that is why the donation from Blacktown Worker’s Club Group is so greatly appreciated; it gives us the ability to do something very important that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to do.”

The BWGHC were not the only ones to see a spike in throughout the pandemic, Harman Foundation who also provide a women’s shelter and support services for saw a 700% increase in their incoming calls for their 24/7 domestic violence helpline.

Harinder Kaur, co-Founder of the Harman Foundation says “receiving the $15,000 donation from the Blacktown Workers Club Group has enabled us to enhance the technology, quality and accountability. All our phone calls are recorded now, we previously didn’t have that technology infrastructure and with this we can really help those who really need our help.”

The Blacktown Workers Club Group also has extended their reach to organisations that are implementing preventative measures to bring domestic violence to a halt.

Top Blokes run mentoring programs with teenage boys in high school in Western Sydney. This program strengthens the mental health and emotional resilience of teenage boys. Across two terms, young males in high schools participate in weekly interactive workshops covering: risk taking and peer pressure, mental health, respectful relationships, online behaviour and consequences (including sexting, pornography and cyber bullying), alcohol and drugs and anger management.

The $10,757 donation to Top Blokes will fund and support 24 Quakers Hill High School male students in the Top Blokes Program for equivalent to a full year.

Kay Kelly, BWCG President says, “Blacktown Workers has always recognised how significant this issue is and will be contributing $500,000 per year over the next five years to support local organisations in the fight against it. These groups are at the frontline providing education to reduce domestic and family violence, and to support those directly affected.”

Not only are we supporting these local organisations monetarily, but we are also raising awareness through the power of social media by telling the organisations’ stories, by providing our social media followers with helplines and assisting them with finding the right help.

We are here to encourage communities and individuals to speak out against violence and abuse and to empower people to work together to prevent Domestic Violence.