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practical info
what help can
you get?
safety plans
risk assessment
links
about the project
background
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community
education
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else is
happening?
other projects
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does it work?
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practical info
what help can you get?
Will the police protect you? What
will happen to your partner?
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In
NSW if a person is violent towards their partner, they can be
removed from the family home. Police called to a domestic
violence incident can remove the violent partner, or you can ask
the Court for an order that the violent partner is removed.
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An
Apprehended Violence Order can prohibit access by the violent
partner to the home. If this is breached, tell the police
because it can be a serious offence.
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You
can get a crisis payment from Centrelink if you are experiencing
domestic violence and want to stay in your home but need money.
You have to be eligible for Centrelink payments to receive this.
Talk to Centrelink.
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You
can get counselling from a Victims of Crime Counsellor and even
financial compensation.
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The
violent partner can get crisis accommodation called temporary
accommodation from the Department of Housing, financial
assistance from Centrelink if they are eligible, and counselling
support from Family Support or Mensline.
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We
can provide improved security such as an alarm phone to make the
family home safer.
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It
helps if you develop a SAFETY PLAN for yourself and your
children (and pets). You can talk to a counsellor about this.
safety
plans
A major part of
working with women and children who left domestic violence involves
developing safety plans to suit the individual needs. This has become a
particular focus of the Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) Project and
contributes greatly in supporting women and children to stay safely in
their homes. The SHLV project explores safety options with women and
can upgrade some security, depending on individual needs.
Below is a list of suggestions that have been adapted from workshops
for women in developing safety plans. Developing a personal safety plan
involves focusing on the individual needs of the woman and her
children. It is important to recognise that there are no universal
guidelines to ensure safety but there are steps that can be taken.
These steps, often based on a common sense approach, can have a positive
impact on the sustainability of women and children’s safety.
Safety Plans must
be relevant to your own needs and area, eg do you live on a farm, in a
village or in a town? Do you have pets such as a dog that barks? Is
there anyone living close to you that you can set up a signal system? Or
is there a friend or family member you can check in with around a
certain time of the day? Often domestic violence is linked with social
isolation.
Building new support networks will break down social isolation and can
help build on your existing strengths. This is a process of
taking back control in your life.
Safety Plans need
to be adapted for different environments such as home, work, and also
consider vehicle security.
Below are listed
some suggested guidelines that may be adapted to suit your own
circumstances.
Your home
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Be alert to
any suspicious persons. Don’t ignore any ‘funny feelings’. Trust
your intuition.
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Ask for
identification before opening the door.
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Install a
veranda light at a height that makes it hard to reach; sensor lights
can be effective tools. Trim and illuminate shrubbery.
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Make sure you
have dead bolts on all outside doors. If keys go missing, change
the locks. Make sure windows have good locks (a bolt can be used by
drilling a hole into window jamb). Use a dowel stick in all sliding
glass doors and windows.
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Keep the
garage door locked at all times. Always park in a secured garage if
possible.
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Keep your fuse
box locked (check with the electricity company, they may need a key
to check account).
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Keep doors
locked when at home.
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Keep torches
and spare batteries in an easy to reach place.
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Consider
installing a loud, outside alarm that can be activated inside the
house from several different locations.
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Get an
unlisted phone number. Make sure everyone you give it to know it is
silent such as your work and family. Make sure they know not to
give out your contact details to anyone. Caller identification
should also be considered as well as an answering machine.
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Make sure you
know where in your house you can get reception for your mobile phone
(if you have one). Keep your mobile phone charged and with you in
case phone line is disconnected. NB portable phones rely on
electricity. If there is a power outage you have no phone.
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Make sure
everyone in the home talks about suspicious calls or occurrences.
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Keep in touch
with neighbours; ask them to let you know if there has been anyone
hanging around your house, especially if you are not at home.
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If there has
been any threat made to your self or your family contact the police.
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Keep trusted
friends and neighbours informed about what’s going on.
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Make a safe
evacuation plan, make sure all household members know about and
practice it occasionally.
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Get a dog. A
family dog is one of the least expensive and most effective alarm
systems. Some breeds are better watch dogs but any breed will bark
at an intruder.
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If you have an
Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) report all breaches to the police.
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Keep outside
area clear of garden utensils such as racks, shovels or ladders.
Keep shed door locked.
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Is there a
‘safe room’ in your house that you can secure and that has mobile
phone coverage?
Workplace
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Make sure
everyone in the workplace is aware not to give out your contact
details. In a large workplace this could just mean the manager and
the office person.
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Park in a well
lite space if possible or form a buddy system with a co-worker in
sharing rides or catching public transport
NB: This exercise
is not about focusing on living in fear. It is about taking proactive
steps to ensure both you and your children’s safety. It is about taking
back control in your life.
Safety plan
information adapted from a series of workshops held at the Women’s
Resource Centre in Bega from 2002 to 2006
risk
assessment
The point
of risk assessment is for you to think about your own safety. It’s a
case by case situation. Each person and family is different. No one
knows your circumstances better than yourself. The most common
indicator that someone will be violent is that they have been
violent before. But the assessment is not about the violent person,
it’s about do you feel safe? You have to make a considered
choice about the situation. This is a process you should do with
someone else, preferably someone skilled.
This is
not a risk assessment, but here are some things to consider:
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Does
your ex/partner have a history of violence?
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Does
he have any respect for the law?
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Does
he have access to weapons?
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Do
you have good support network that will stick by you?
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Do
you feel confident in your local police?
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Do
you feel attached to your home and want to stay there?
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What
do your children feel about the situation?
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Think about your future: can you afford to stay?
links
www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au
~ for advice about the law
www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au
~ for victim compensation information
www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au
~ for research into staying home safely
links
to the other pilots
vocc@act.gov.au
~ ACT Office of the Victims of Crime Coordinator, for information
about the ACT Family Violence Intervention Program).
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