Domestic Violence

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:45): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question about domestic violence accommodation.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: Sadly, from the age of 15 one in six women have experienced physical or sexual violence from a current or former partner, and 62 per cent of women who have experienced physical assault by a male perpetrator experienced the most recent incident in their home. Can the minister update the chamber on the new domestic violence crisis accommodation which has been launched in the western suburbs?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:46): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. I was very pleased to be able to accompany the Premier, Jay Weatherill, to the launch of the new domestic violence accommodation in the western suburbs last Friday. The new western suburbs site of the Central Domestic Violence Service includes individual units with a capacity to house seven families. There is also a building on site where women can access visiting services such as police, health, children's services, mental health and Centrelink as well as legal support. This brand-new site offers individual crisis accommodation for stays of up to six weeks before women and their family move on to other types of transitional accommodation.

Rather than the traditional crisis shelters, which involve communal living, this western suburbs site utilises a new type of accommodation where individual services are clustered around a place where women are able to access support services. This style of accommodation is quite unique in South Australia, and other states have been modelling their services on those here. It allows women who are escaping domestic violence the privacy they need, but also gives them the ability to be close to other women in similar situations, helping to eliminate feelings of isolation. The land for the accommodation was provided by the state government, and the project received $3.1 million in federal funding for its construction. The Central Domestic Violence Service is jointly funded by the federal and state governments.

It was very rewarding to view this fabulous new accommodation. It is a lovely environment and I think it will certainly help those women and children who are in need of such services. It will be a safe haven for those experiencing domestic violence, where women can access the services they need to reset their life, where their children can play safely, and where they can feel supported.

I am pleased to belong to a government that has committed to actions and initiatives that target domestic violence at all levels. As Minister for the Status of Women, I obviously feel very strongly that domestic violence must be eliminated at its roots, and it is important that we change the stereotypes that foster gender inequity. Too many Australian women have been affected by domestic violence and we, as a government, are working very hard prevent this.

For now, it is encouraging to know that women affected by domestic violence have this lovely form of accommodation and a place where they can feel safe, and I am very happy to be here today sharing this with members in this chamber. I would also like to particularly congratulate the Central Domestic Violence Service; they do a wonderful job. They are all deeply committed and hardworking people and very passionate about what they do. I congratulate them on the support and services that they provide.