The NSW Government is continuing to increase support offered to women reporting domestic violence with the expansion of the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS) and NSW Police Force Co-location Pilot, to additional locations in Sydney and regional NSW.

This crucial initiative provides the co-location of a specialist domestic and family violence worker at police stations to improve the response to women who attend a station to report, or seek help in relation to domestic and family violence.

With an additional funding injection of $1.4 million, the program will be expanded to Blacktown, Toronto/ Belmont, Taree, Walgett and Albury Police Stations.

Since October 2022 it has been available at Kogarah, Fairfield, Griffith, Armidale and Nowra Police Stations. In the first year of the pilot, to October 2023, 541 women were assisted across these five sites.

This program was developed in response to several inquiries and reports which identified that women sometimes receive a poor response when reporting domestic and family violence at the front counter of a police station.

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said providing on-site support to victim-survivors would significantly improve the response to domestic violence.

“It takes courage to step forward and report domestic and family violence.

“This initiative empowers women and can make a huge difference during one of the most challenging periods in their lives.”

Attorney General Michael Daley said the initiative will improve the experience of victim-survivors who attend police stations, increase the number of victim-survivors who report to police, and streamline their access to safety and support.

“This expansion sends a clear message to perpetrators that they will be reported to Police, held accountable for their actions and punished appropriately through the courts.”

Minister for Police Yasmin Catley said the new sites across metro and regional areas would improve access to support for victim-survivors.

“The first step to holding perpetrators to account is reporting their criminal behaviour to police.

“Domestic and family violence is a pervasive scourge and as a government, we must ensure we have the right systems in place to protect victim-survivors.”