Redfern Legal Centre’s Sydney Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (SWDVCAS) will be hosting the new site of the Safer Pathway model which will assist victims of domestic violence that live in the Leichhardt, Newtown and Marrickville areas.
The Safer Pathway model ensures that all victims of domestic violence who have made a police report will receive a call from a domestic violence specialist worker within one business day. Clients are offered a wide range of social welfare referrals including crisis and long term housing assistance, counselling, legal advice, security upgrades and family support services.
Victims of domestic violence considered to be at serious threat of harm are referred to a Safety Action Meeting, where government and non-government agencies engage in targeted information sharing and offer options to victims to increase their safety.
SWDVCAS Coordinator, Susan Smith commented, “A core element of this model is that victims are receiving assistance very quickly and being connected with the support that is available. Rather than having to research the assistance and reach out to services over and over again, our service can help to connect victims with a wide range of services within one working day.”
Ms Smith stated, “The Safety Action Meeting model has resulted in important safety outcomes for our clients. We’ve secured priority transfers from FaCS Housing for victims within a matter of days to ensure their safety and security. Our clients’ locks have been changed within four hours of an incident. The Safety Action Meeting has been able to facilitate the urgent revocation of a perpetrator’s parole through information sharing with Corrective Services.”
The Safer Pathway model will be operational in Leichhardt, Newtown and Marrickville in November 2016.
Please contact RLC’s Communications Manager, Sophie Farrell, to arrange an interview with Susan Smith.
Media contact | Sophie Farrell | Communications Manager | sophie@rlc.org.au | 9698 7277
