New facility to support DV victims slated for Lake Macquarie

Lake Macquarie will soon be home to new emergency accommodation to support women and children escaping domestic violence (DV).

Jenny’s Place and Housing Plus are joining forces to construct and operate the state-of-the-art facility, as the demand for services, sadly, continues to grow in the region.

The locally-based refuge is expected to be designed on the Core and Cluster model, an innovative approach that provides women with independent lodgings and access to critical services such as counselling, legal assistance and further education on site.

The Lake Macquarie site will accommodate up to five families at a time and four single women with a total of nine fully self-contained units.

It’ll also include indoor and outdoor play spaces for children, as well as designated areas for pets and communal activities.

Jenny’s Place executive manager Marcia Chapman admitted the Hunter was in desperate need of additional crisis accommodation.

“We know many women are trapped in violent relationships simply because there is nowhere else to live,” she said.

“This challenge is heightened for those with children.

“With community housing and the local private rental market now stretched to the limit, the Core and Cluster Sector Capacity Building Grants program will help services address the issue and, importantly, elevate the standard of accommodation provided to women leaving domestic violence.

“We also acknowledge the generous contributions made by organisations that supported our joint grant application, particularly the McCloy Group who donated the large parcel of land needed for a project of this scale, and Wests Knights Foundation for their support funding.”

Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said the government took the issue of women’s safety seriously and was committed to investing in prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault.

“As part of the Core and Cluster program, the Lake Macquarie site is one of 27 domestic violence refuges our government is delivering in regional communities across NSW and one of 10 that we are delivering in partnership with Housing Plus,” the Charlestown MP explained.

“Addressing the scourge of domestic violence is a whole-of-community responsibility and we are pleased to be working with partners, such as Jenny’s Place and Housing Plus, to ensure the needs of victim-survivors are being heard and addressed.”

Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper echoed those sentiments.

“Today’s announcement of much-needed crisis accommodation in Lake Macquarie will provide life-changing support for local women and their families escaping family and domestic violence,” he said.

“Victims of domestic violence face many barriers when trying to escape abusive relationships. By providing safe crisis accommodation and financial and other support services Jenny’s Place helps victims and their families escape violence and create better lives.

“The innovative Core and Cluster accommodation model will allow families to stay together during times of crisis, supporting independent living while also providing victims with direct access to the support they need.”

Under the latest partnership, Housing Plus will construct and manage the property, with the accommodation and services being delivered by Jenny’s Place, an operator in the Newcastle region for 46 years.

“It was important regional communities benefited from the government’s funding for domestic and family violence accommodation,” Housing Plus CEO Justin Cantelo said.

“Our alliance with Jenny’s Place combines our knowledge and expertise of design and construction with their local experience in service delivery.

“The best of both is what we hope will be provided in Lake Macquarie.”

The news follows an initial funding announcement in October 2021, in which the NSW Government unveiled an historic investment of $484.3 million, for women and children experiencing domestic and family violence (DFV) – the single biggest investment in addressing DFV in the state’s history.

The Core and Cluster Sector Capacity Building Grants program will provide $426.6 million over four years to build new Core and Cluster accommodation facilities across NSW.

Once all three funding rounds are completed, and refuges are operational, more than an additional 2,900 women and children escaping DFV will be supported annually.

“Accommodation provided will mean women and children impacted by domestic and family violence will be provided with a safe and supported environment to recover,” Ms Chapman said.

“This environment starts with safe, trauma-informed physical design and is complemented by a service delivery model that provides intensive support when it is needed most and a lighter touch when recovery begins.

“Support will be personalised and brought into the refuge.

“As victims recover, they will have a base to return to and continue to receive education and support.”