The McGowan Government has awarded almost $1 million dollars in grants to fund two new initiatives helping to combat family and domestic violence.
The Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing has been awarded $889,000 to build a Primary Prevention Framework that will help reduce family, domestic and sexual violence.
To be developed in partnership with Stopping Family Violence, the framework will guide primary prevention activities in Western Australia, including the delivery of learning and development programs for the sector. Primary prevention is about changing attitudes and stopping inequality and violence before it starts.
Starick Services has been awarded $68,000 in grant funding to develop a bespoke version of the Respectful Relationships Program, currently delivered to schools, that is tailored to sport and recreation clubs and organisations across the State.
The community has a right to expect sport and recreation clubs to be safe and welcoming, and for these organisations to work towards gender equality and the prevention of violence against women. With appropriate support, sport and recreation organisations can be pivotal in tackling these issues.
The funding for both the Primary Prevention Framework and the Respectful Relationships Program are some of the first actions being delivered by the newly established Office for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence.
The office sits within the Department of Communities and is focused on delivering improved outcomes in primary prevention, Aboriginal family safety, victim-survivor safety and perpetrator accountability.
For more information on the office, visit https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/establishing-office-prevention-of-family-and-domestic-violence
As stated by Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Simone McGurk:
“It is a sad reality that family and domestic violence is all too common in our community – but this funding will help build important initiatives that stop the violence before it starts.
“It is important to take a long-term view, and the development of a prevention structure for Western Australia will address the conditions that lead to family, domestic and sexual violence.
“The expansion of the Respectful Relationships Program from schools to sport and recreation clubs is another way local communities will be able to get involved and help tackle the scourge of family and domestic violence.
“Sporting clubs are an integral part of our towns and suburbs and with a holistic approach and the right support, they can help change attitudes and ultimately make our communities safer.”
