LATEST NEWS
We are thrilled to announce that our Manager - Practice and Skill Development Janet Dandy-Ward has been successful in the Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW) Expression of Interest for the ‘Working with Children and Young People Experiencing Domestic and Family Violence’ pilot starting next week. Janet, one of only 12 practitioners selected from across New South Wales, has demonstrated exceptional skills and an unwavering passion for supporting children and young people experiencing family and domestic violence. Her dedication ensures that we offer the best practice updates from key research and knowledge. We are confident that Janet will embrace this opportunity with enthusiasm and bring back valuable insights to our network and beyond. This is an exciting pilot - stay tuned for updates. Congratulations, Janet! We look forward to seeing the great work you will accomplish in this pilot. #domesticviolence #familyviolenceprevention #workingwithchildren #safetyforwomenandchildren
The sun was certainly shining on Beecroft House today for the Meanwhile Use event hosted by Link Wentworth. Our CEO Annabelle Daniel OAM joined Link Wentworth Housing’s Chief Customer Officer, Margaret Miljkovic and Chair of Twilight Aged Care, Lorraine Lovitt for a panel discussion with Link Wentworth CEO Andrew McAnulty , on how the different angles of the partnership model come to fit together, and the value and viability for this approach to create enormous impact for vulnerable women. It was wonderful to see the NSW Minister for Housing, Rose Jackson and former Premier of NSW, The Hon Dominic Perrottet, be present for discussions on housing issues and how vacant properties can be utilised for Meanwhile Use housing. Special guests also included NSW Rental Commissioner, Trina Jones and Homes NSW’s Head of Housing Portfolio, Michael Wheatley. #womenshomelessness #domesticviolence #communityhousing #affordablehousing #meanwhileuse #socialhousing
🎉 It's World Emoji Day! 🌍🎉 A huge 👍 to all the amazing supporters of Women's Community Shelters. Your dedication and generosity make a real difference to the women and children we support. Together, we're creating safe spaces and brighter futures for women and children across our shelter network. Thank you! 🌟💕 #WorldEmojiDay #SupportWCS #womenscommunityshelters
This year, more than ever, given the tragic increase in women's deaths due to domestic and family violence, we were determined to make an even bigger impact with our EOFY campaign, "Her Story, Not a News Story." Our goal was to raise $500,000 to help fund a new shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness, domestic and family violence. The amazing support from our community helped us raise more than that, exceeding our expectations! Thank you! #community #eofy #domesticviolence #shelter
As NAIDOC week continues, Carly, our Great Lakes Womens Shelter Manager, explains how the team celebrate with their local community and engage in community activities and initiatives, fostering connections and understanding. "Our Aboriginal community, is our community." Together, we can make a difference and build a stronger, more inclusive future for all. 💛🖤❤️ #NAIDOCWeek #Community #CulturalHeritage #TogetherWeCan #Inclusion #GLWS #SupportLocal #AboriginalCulture #womenscommunityshelters
Julia, a First Nations women, shared with us that she had grown up in the system and had negative experiences with police and system workers. As a result, she was very nervous about reaching out to shelter for help. But on entry, she was made to feel welcome, safe and that she and her children mattered. Our shelters, located across NSW, are created to feel like a home, where in the first 24 hours residents can breathe, feel safe and take time to heal. There are toys and books for the children and a warm cosy bed and care packages for the women. Knowing they are safe is the first step towards their journey of recovery. #NAIDOC2024 #NAIDOCWeek and #BlakLoudProud
Annabelle Reacts.... Our CEO, Annabelle Daniel OAM, continues to be a powerful voice in the media, advocating for homelessness, domestic and family violence issues. Her insightful commentary and unwavering commitment are crucial in raising awareness about our collaborative efforts with local communities to support women and children at risk. 💜 https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/shocking-cte-found-in-two-domestic-violence-victims-for-first-time-in-australia/news-story/9fc411727bdb162f31ecf822f98cb231 #EndDomesticViolence #Advocacy #CommunityLeadership #womenscommunityshelters #AnnabelleDanielOAM
As we acknowledge NAIDOC Week, WCS reaffirms our commitment to supporting women and children from all backgrounds across our growing network. The average age of a First Nations child in our shelters is just seven years old. Breaking the cycle of abuse is crucial in helping children grow into positive, empowered individuals, free from domestic and family violence. Every child deserves a life without fear. Together, we can make this a reality. #NAIDOC2024 #NAIDOCWeek and #BlakLoudProud
At WCS, integrating cultural education and awareness across our network is not just beneficial but essential. Carly, Manager at our Great Lakes Women's Shelter, emphasises the importance of this approach. By understanding and respecting the diverse backgrounds of the women and children we support, we can offer more effective, empathetic care. This strategy fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment, helping women and children on their journey to healing and independence. #NAIDOCWeek #CulturalLearning #GreatLakesWomensShelter #WomensCommunityShelters #Empowerment #Inclusion
What an incredible afternoon! WCS had the privilege of attending a half-day workshop with a wonderful team from Google, specialising in marketing, products, and technology. The Google team learned about WCS, our work and future plans and workshopped ideas and insights that we can implement in our work. A special thanks to Jasmine Phung for inviting us to present and putting so much effort into making it a fantastic experience. We look forward to continuing our partnership! #charitypartners #techcompany #domesticviolenceeducation
July 01 marks the day of a new legislation on Coercive Control. This will improve the lives of women and children who may never seek to use the legal system. We show dignity and respect to victim survivors in recognising their experiences in legislation. And we as a community can have a shared language to condemn what many victims describe as the worst part of abuse.
Existing services cannot meet the demand for crisis accommodation for women who are homeless. More than one in two women across Australia who seek a bed in a crisis shelter are turned away every night, mostly due to a lack of space. And these are just the ones who find out they can ask for a safe place to go. https://www.womenscommunityshelters.org.au/
It's your last chance to make an impact this EOFY! Join us in making a profound difference. Your donation helps transform lives, turning painful experiences into stories of resilience and hope. Listen to Julia's story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uUCklJ0ooU&t=15s Help us make it 'Her story, not a news story.' Donate today: https://www.womenscommunityshelters.org.au/eofy-appeal-2024/ Your support makes a huge difference - thank you. 💚
Your EOFY donation makes an incredible difference, enabling us to provide safe accommodation, critical services and support to the women and children across our shelter network. As an added benefit, all donations over $2 are tax-deductible, allowing you to reduce your taxable income while making a positive impact. Donate today: https://www.womenscommunityshelters.org.au/eofy-appeal-2024/ Thank you for your support 💚🥰
Only 1 day left to make a difference this EOFY! Your donation can help us provide additional safe places with wrap around support for women and children across our shelter network. Donate now and help us change lives. #Herstorynotanewsstory #EOFY #SupportingWomenandchildren #donatetoday https://www.womenscommunityshelters.org.au/eofy-appeal-2024/
Make your EOFY donation before June 30th and empower us to support more women and children at risk of homelessness, domestic and family violence. Your donation today will allow us to create even more safe spaces and help change lives!
EOFY Appeal 2024Thank you for your support. 💚
Four days until EOFY! With your support, we can fund a new shelter for an entire year, offering a lifeline to women like Julia. Join us in making a profound difference. Your donation helps transform lives, turning painful experiences into stories of resilience and hope. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible, allowing you to reduce your taxable income while making a positive impact. Donate here: https://www.womenscommunityshelters.org.au/eofy-appeal-2024/
WCS recommends an excellent listen about the correlation between alcohol and domestic and family violence. WCS CEO Annabelle Daniel OAM has previously warned that the easy availability of alcohol is a huge factor to domestic and family violence. Access it here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/theconversationhour/the-conversation-hour-alcohol-contribute-to-family-violence/103993120 #EndDV #DFV
📰 WCS CEO Annabelle Daniel OAM reacts to the news. In a recent Nine News article 'Domestic abusers are exploiting the tax system to lump their victims with huge debts', Annabelle explains how the use of the Tax system can be a significant form of financial and systems abuse by perpetrators. WCS has called on the Australian Government to invest $1billion per year in solving domestic and family violence, which includes reform of the Tax System, Child Support, Centrelink and Family Law systems to better support victims of coercive control and domestic violence. #endDV #dfv #coercivecontrol
Eight days left until the end of financial year, and we are just over the half way mark in reaching our EOFY target. If you have ever wanted to help women and children escaping domestic and family violence, you can by donating to: https://www.womenscommunityshelters.org.au/eofy-appeal-2024/ All gifts of $2 and more are tax-deductible. #EndDV
Hear from Julia, a WCS Shelter resident, whose story was changed for the better when she found safety and support with Women’s Community Shelters. There are more women out there like Julia who urgently need your help now. Take positive action – help us fund a shelter for a year. We’re halfway through. Donate now: https://www.womenscommunityshelters.org.au/eofy-appeal-2024/ All gift of $2 and more are tax-deductible. #endDV #EOFY2024 #nonforprofit
'Another woman killed with a firearm'. Women’s Community Shelters CEO Annabelle Daniel OAM comments on the Mamamia article titled ‘ Natalie Frahm was just trying to take the kids to sport. She was shot in front of them in her driveway’. Annabelle draws attention to the fact that access to firearms in homes increases the risk of dying for women. #ViolenceAgainstWomen
WCS CEO Annabelle Daniel OAM (also Chair of DV NSW) features in the Newcastle Herald in an article post-NSW state budget. ‘The budget's central focus on social housing, and opening the door to innovative solutions elsewhere, was incredibly pleasing. It was important to recognise however that providers faced demand 50 per cent above what they could provide. Bringing funding levels up to meet that is something that wasn't there in the budget.’ #endDV
WCS CEO Annabelle Daniel OAM reacts to the NSW Budget: "Fantastic news that housing is the centrepiece of the NSW budget, and that women and children leaving domestic and family violence will be prioritised in this space! An excellent step forward with allocations including: $5.1 billion for social homes $527 million for homelessness which includes more than $260 million for temporary accommodation and $250 million for other homelessness programs And…. A Homelessness Innovation Fund! At Women's Community Shelters, we have innovative housing solutions ready to go if we can achieve support and partnerships." #endDV
#RefugeeWeekAU: 1 in 3 migrant and refugee women have experienced some form of domestic and family violence, with temporary visa holders reporting relatively higher levels of violence. (Monash University, 2021) At Women’s Community Shelters, our aim is to create an Australia where all women are safe, secure, supported, and equal by providing crisis shelters, transitional accommodations and wrap-around support. If you are in need of support, please reach out. Family and domestic violence support: 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 Women's Crisis Line: 1800 811 811 Lifeline (24 hour crisis line): 13 11 14 Relationships Australia:1300 364 277 NSW Domestic Violence Line: 1800 65 64 63 If you are in an emergency, please call 000
“Respect is not a matter of age" on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day or any other day of the year. Elder abuse doesn’t always happen in intimate partner relationships but also within families. This abuse impacts women’s financial safety and security and puts them at a significant risk of homelessness. At WCS, we provide safe, secure and supportive emergency accommodation and dedicated transitional housing designed exclusively for women over 55. If you, or someone you know, is facing elder abuse, you can call the free and confidential National Elder Abuse phone line on 1800 ELDERHelp - 1800 353 374.
Since our EOFY campaign began, more women have been killed as a result of domestic and family violence, making the need for your support more important than even. Your donation could help save the lives of women and children fleeing domestic and family violence, because that is the role our shelters play - critical homicide and assault prevention work. DONATE 👉 https://www.womenscommunityshelters.org.au/eofy-appeal-2024/ HELP US reach our goal of $500,000 to fund a new shelter for an entire year. Your support today will help us provide more safe accommodation and supports to even more women and children at risk 🏠🧡
“We’re all waiting for a big, bold transformative announcement, and that promised ‘next step’, to really make a difference.” Ahead of the NSW budget, WCS CEO Annabelle Daniel OAM reacts to the Daily Telegraph article titled ‘International Housing Affordability Report by Demographia ranks Sydney second worst.’ #endDV #homelessness
"Left our home, left our car, left everything behind... found ourselves homeless with no furniture, no bag of clothes, that's it." Hear Julia recounts her experience of DFV and how a WCS shelter helped her rebuild her life. To help more women like Julia, donate now: https://www.womenscommunityshelters.org.au/eofy-appeal-2024/ (Trigger warning: contains references to domestic and family violence) #endDV #domesticviolence #donate #fundraiser
Amazing campaign! It’s important everyone can recognise healthy and harmful behaviours in relationships and to know the signs of coercive control. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect in a relationship, to make their own choices and to feel safe. Sometimes it can be hard to tell when behaviours in a relationship are healthy or harmful. Check out the vodcast and the quiz to learn more: https://www.nsw.gov.au/family-and-relationships/coercive-control/real-lubly
Join the inaugural Board of our newest shelter on the Mornington Peninsula. We are looking for board members who are passionate about solving the crisis of homelessness in Victoria. Help create a safe haven for women and children escaping family violence in Melbourne. Please reach out to Sophie Panigirakis on fbcuvr@jbzrafpbzzhavglfurygref.bet.nh
Help us reach $500,000 to fund a new shelter for a whole year! Donate here: https://www.womenscommunityshelters.org.au/eofy-appeal-2024/ With your help, we can support more women and children escaping homelessness, domestic and family violence. #endDV #domesticviolence #donate #EOFY2024 #charity #makeadifference #fundraising
In the Herald Sun article titled ‘Domestic violence victims slugged thousands of dollars in land tax bills’ WCS CEO Annabelle Daniel OAM highlights that responding to domestic and family violence required a whole-of-government approach and urges governments of all levels to look at the way that government systems may either be weaponised by perpetrators or abuse, or inadvertently penalise victims as they are attempting to re-establish themselves.
