Fund domestic violence services to meet demand

More women are killed by domestic and family violence in NSW than in any other state or territory.

At the same time, specialist domestic and family violence services have not received a core funding increase in over a decade.

Demand is rising fast. Police data shows more than 300 domestic violence-related assaults are recorded every day across NSW. But without increased funding, services are being pushed beyond their limits, supporting on average 152% more clients than they are funded for, with waitlists stretching to two months or more.

This pressure has real consequences:

Women and children are forced to return ...

More women are killed by domestic and family violence in NSW than in any other state or territory.

At the same time, specialist domestic and family violence services have not received a core funding increase in over a decade.

Demand is rising fast. Police data shows more than 300 domestic violence-related assaults are recorded every day across NSW. But without increased funding, services are being pushed beyond their limits, supporting on average 152% more clients than they are funded for, with waitlists stretching to two months or more.

This pressure has real consequences:

Women and children are forced to return to abuse, delay leaving, or sleep in their cars because there is nowhere safe to go
Victim-survivors miss the chance for early support that could prevent crisis
Services are forced to close their books for months at a time
Staff are working unpaid overtime, managing dangerous client loads and fundraising in their own time

This is not sustainable, and it's not safe.

But the NSW Government can fix this.

By committing just 0.1% of the state budget ($177.4 million) to specialist domestic and family violence services, more women and children can access the support they need, escape violence, find safety, and begin their recovery.

This investment would allow services to hire more frontline staff; thereby reducing waitlists, keeping their books open, and providing the support women and children need when they first reach out.

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Email your local MP

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Email your local MP today and ask them to support Domestic Violence NSW in calling for a 50% increase to the base funding for local specialist domestic violence services.

A funding increase would mean services can hire more frontline staff, expand their service reach and provide timely support to help women and children escape violence and begin their recovery.

Act now: Every email counts. The safety of women and children in your community depends on it.

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Subject:

I am writing as a member of our local community to urge you to support Domestic Violence NSW in calling for a 50% increase to the base funding for local specialist domestic violence services.

Across NSW, more than 300 domestic violence-related assaults are recorded daily, and specialist services are supporting 152% more clients than they are funded for, with waitlists stretching to two months or more.

While the NSW Government has made some investments into domestic violence; local domestic violence services have not received an increase to their operational funding in over a decade, and are buckling under the weight of demand for their support.

In our community, this means women and children are often left waiting for help, returning to unsafe situations, or going without the care they urgently need. Staff are doing their best, but they can't keep up without additional resources.

A 50% funding increase would allow local services to hire more frontline staff, expand their service reach, and provide timely support so women and children in our community can escape violence and begin to heal.

I urge you to stand with our community and advocate alongside Domestic Violence NSW to ensure specialist domestic violence services have the funding they need. Lives in our local area are at stake.

Thank you for your attention and care.

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