Blight on our state’: Australian State announces hundred million dollars for women’s safety

The state government will spend almost $100 million on domestic violence services, workplace sexual harassment programs and street safety upgrades, in budget measures Premier Dominic Perrottet said would address the “blight on our state” that is gendered abuse

The Safer Pathway program for victim-survivors accessing domestic and family violence services, which sees police connect people with social services, will be expanded through a $43.6 million to increase in case management services and referral pathways

An additional $26 million will be spent to add and improve audio-visual link facilities in roughly 50 NSW courts and tribunals, and fund court-appointed questioners, so that complainants are not cross-examined by self-represented defendants they have accused of abuse

Amanda Morgan, founder of Make A Seat Australia and a victim-survivor of domestic violence as a child, said the funding was “well overdue”, praising the Safer Pathways program for integrating police and social services. “There are children, parents out there who … are still fearful; they don’t necessarily want to reach out,” she said

Morgan said the services would be particularly important in tight-knit regional communities, where families can be discouraged from speaking out about abuse. “Wherever you live in our good state, you should feel safe and be safe,” Perrottet said, noting it was “an absolute travesty” that one in six Australian women had experienced violence from a partner

“Whilst we’ve made significant inroads over a period of time, it’s still a blight on our state and our nation.” In addition, the government will fund a $4.8 million taskforce on workplace sexual harassment, designed to ensure workplaces meet obligations under amendments to the Fair Work Act passed last year

The amendments, in response to federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins’ recommendations in her Respect at Work report, clarified that an employee can be sacked for inflicting sexual harassment in the workplace. An employee experiencing sexual harassment at work can also apply to the Fair Work Commission for an order to stop the conduct

Minister for Fair Trading Eleni Petinos said some of the resources would be tailored to small businesses, which do not have the same human resources operations as larger businesses. Perrottet also announced a $30 million anti-street harassment package to fund lighting, CCTV and foot traffic upgrades to Parramatta Park and the Rocks on Saturday

Women’s Safety Minister Natalie Ward says the government was prioritizing her portfolio in the budget. “Women travelling in the dark know that sometimes we take extra precautions,” she said. “This program seeks to address both the symptoms, as well as the cause of why so many women feel unsafe in our cities, especially after dark

Hayley Foster, CEO of 24/7 sexual, domestic and family violence hotline Full Stop, said she was disappointed the state government had not included funding for sexual violence services in its announcement

“To have a ‘women’s safety budget’ that doesn’t address sexual violence survivors is disappointing,” she said. One in three calls to 1800 Full Stop go unanswered after call volumes increased by 27 per cent over the past year. The figure equates to 4000 unanswered calls a year. “In the last 25 years there has been a 110 per cent increase in reporting of sexual violence, the only major crime category to increase,” Foster said. The 2022-23 NSW budget will be delivered on Tuesday