STAFF from Western Women’s Domestic Violence Support Network have vowed to battle on after the State Government withdrew $54,000 in funding forcing it to close by the end of the year.
The network’s centre will not take on any new clients from this week.
It will provide a reduced service and help existing clients find alternative help until December after the government agreed to provide $24,000 in transitional funding.
The government announced in May it would withdraw $54,000 in funding despite calls from staff to keep it open.
The network has provided long-term outreach, after hours’ contact, court support and advice to women and children escaping family violence, which has serviced Melbourne’s western suburbs for the past 11 years.
Acting Coordinator of the network Debbie Flederis said the struggle to retain the centre was not over yet.
“It was a sad day for Melbourne’s West (last week) but we’re not going to give in that easily,” Ms Flederis said.
“We’ve struggled for so long and (while) we’re disappointed with the State Government’s decision we are not going to give up.”
Last year the centre helped 458 women escape domestic violence in the Western region.
To signify the impact of the closure members of the Western suburbs community brought more than 400 pairs of shoes to a closure gathering on Thursday at Sunshine’s Presbyterian Church Hall in Anderson Rd.
“We wanted to show in a different way the (impact it will) have on the community,” Ms Flederis said.
While the State Government said it could not fund the network, it denied the community didn’t want the service.
Two weeks ago, the government announced it would provide more than $40 million over three years to assist women victims of domestic violence.
Organisations that are set to take up slack from after the closure include Women’s Health West, McKillop Family Services and Western Region Health Centre.
But Ms Flederis denied the network would increase the incidence of women’s violence in the West but said it would limit the victim’s assistance options.
“The biggest danger is not that it might increase women’s violence because there are already big numbers out there, but where are the people who need help going to go to?” Ms Flederis said.
“It’s really going to have a negative impact.
“At lot of places they wouldn’t be able to get help they need, that’s (going) to be the big problem.”
The centre employs five part-time staff and has at least 20 voluntary staff.
Ms Flederis conceded it would be hard finding a new job in the short-term because the centre had played a big part in her life.
“I’m (literally) working full-time hours and so are my other work colleagues, but we are only considered to be part-time workers,” she said.
“It’s going to be very difficult, I’m going to be out of a job soon like the others.”
