Support for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence

18 June 2024

The Minns Labor Government is continuing to prioritise and invest in building safer communities, with enhanced support for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence.

The NSW Government’s comprehensive approach to domestic and family violence includes funding for prevention, early intervention, crisis and legal responses.

The 2024-25 NSW Budget also includes a historic commitment to support victim-survivors of domestic and family violence access safe and affordable long-term housing.

A major step in helping those escaping domestic and family violence.

The NSW Government is investing a historic $5.1 billion to build safe, accessible and affordable housing.
At least half of the new homes built will be prioritised for victim-survivors of family and domestic violence.

This means at least 3100 vulnerable people leaving abusive relationships will have access to a new home under this program.

The NSW Government will invest $245.6 million as part of an emergency package to enhance support for domestic and family violence victim-survivors and expand programs that reduce the rate of violence against women and children. This includes:

Crisis response

  • $48 million to roll out the Staying Home Leaving Violence program statewide and expand the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service.

Early intervention

  • $48.1 million to secure and increase funding for workers who support children accompanying their mothers to refuges. These specialist workers support them, including with education and mental health measures.
  • An additional $700,000 in 2024-25 for the NSW Domestic Violence Line.

Primary prevention

  • $38.3 million for the implementation of NSW's first dedicated Primary Prevention Strategy. The Pathways to Prevention: NSW Strategy for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence 2024-2027 will develop a range of initiatives to address the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence.
  • $8.1 million for the ‘All in’ early childhood pilot to prevent domestic violence by teaching young children about healthy relationships.
  • $10 million to expand Men’s Behaviour Change Programs to enable men to recognise their violent behaviour and develop strategies to prevent the use of violence.

Strengthening the sector

  • $5 million for workforce training on the implementation of a newly developed risk assessment framework and other priority areas.
  • $3.6 million to expand Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW), which is the peak body for specialist services in NSW.

Improving the justice system for victims

  • $45 million has been set aside to improve bail laws and justice system responses to domestic violence.
  • $24.1 million for the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS) to meet the increasing demand of victim survivors requiring support to navigate the justice system.
  • $5.5 million in 2024-25 to expand the WDVCAS hearing support and Police co-location pilot programs.
  • $2.1 million to support the Domestic Violence Death Review Team and its work to deliver robust research around risks factors, trends and impact of service delivery.
  • $2.1 million over 2 years to improve and continue the Corrective Services program EQUIPS Domestic and Family Violence, delivered to offenders in custody and under supervision in the community to prevent reoffending.

Research

  • $5 million for research into perpetrators and effective interventions.

Too many lives have been lost and too many families have been broken because of domestic and family violence. It is a blight in our communities and it is a problem that deserves the NSW Government’s concerned attention and response.

This Budget is an important step in the NSW Government’s work to provide appropriate, ongoing and all-encompassing wraparound support for victim-survivors, and to ensure that anyone leaving an abusive relationship has a pathway to safety and recovery.