Advocacy - Family and Domestic Violence Support and Accommodation

People who are experiencing family and domestic violence (FDV) have immediate access to safe accommodation for themselves and their dependents, and the necessary support services to maintain a safe and secure future. Specifically, what is required is State and/or Federal funding to establish, operate and maintain within the City of Wanneroo:

• Supported crisis accommodation, short term refuge accommodation and medium-term transitional accommodation services
• A FDV One Stop Hub providing support and wrap-around services located in the northern suburbs of the City of Wanneroo
   

Rising rates of family and domestic violence

The City of Wanneroo (the City) is one of the fastest growing local government areas (LGA) in WA, in 2024 the City’s resident population is 235,994 people and is forecast to reach 437,016 by 20461. Couples with children make up 39% of households; 7% higher than Greater Perth. Changing economic factors such as housing shortages and the cost of living are highlighting concerns around increasing risk factors for, and incidents of, family and domestic violence.

There are increasing rates of FDV across the City: in the 2023/24 financial year, WA Police show 1,526 total cases of assault (family) and 268 threatening behaviours (family); equating to nearly 5 offences being recorded daily. In the 2024/25 financial year, this increased to 1,849 assault cases and 376 threatening behaviour cases; increasing the average number of offences to 6 per day2. However, according to the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, of those people who are assaulted by a cohabiting partner, the share who report the assault to the police is exceptionally low. Only a quarter of women (26.3%) and just over 1 in 9 men (11.9%) who experience FDV from a cohabiting partner report the incident to the police.

Data provided by the Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre (NSCLC) show 32.5% of their clients in 2023-2024 who were resident in the City sought consultation for FDV.

Services unable to meet demand

Service providers have advised that there is a high demand for local FDV services which they are unable to meet with current resourcing.

The Patricia Giles Centre for Non-Violence (PGCNV) is the lead agency for the northern corridor and provides 24/7 crisis accommodation in Perth’s northwest region. PGCNV also operates short-term refuge accommodation within the City of Wanneroo. Services are often at capacity and with the population in the North increasing, so is the demand on services. The Patricia Giles Centre for Non-Violence also provides specialised programs such as Counselling, Outreach and Co-ordinated Response Service. All programs and services are focused on supporting and empowering women and children to live free from family and domestic violence.

Anglicare WA, in partnership with Communicare, deliver Connect and Respect, a court-mandated, behaviour change program in Joondalup. As well as Young Hearts Children’s Counselling Program for victim-survivors of FDV. Over the course of the last year, both these programs had achieved its goals in terms of achieving more sustainable funding from the state for the Connect and Respect program and a pilot to instil Young Hearts at Anglicare WA’s Joondalup site. Funding has also been acquired to support Anglicare in piloting an early intervention client advocacy program for the Child Sexual Abuse Therapy program supporting the wider metro region, with outreach for this program extending up to Yanchep.

Anglicare has stated that while the need for a FDV Hub still exists in the northern suburbs, the collaborative advocacy work has helped Anglicare WA strategically target funding opportunities to meet these local needs and both of these programs have achieved short term funding outcomes to support people in the City of Wanneroo.

Despite these wins, there are still gaps in availability of local behaviour change programs for low to medium risk perpetrators who choose to use violence and for services for children impacted by FDV. Anglicare WA service data shows that the Northern Suburbs region has the greatest number of referrals in metropolitan Perth. In 2023, Anglicare WA in Joondalup worked with 153 mandated offenders and 257 victim survivors.

The Commonwealth Government’s National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032, Action 10, identifies measures to improve access to short-term and long-term housing for women and children experiencing violence. Under the Plan an investment of $480 million over 6 years was allocated to address FDV, including $100 million to extend the Safe Place program for emergency accommodation for women and children escaping violence. Under the National Partnership Agreement, the State Government received $19 million in Commonwealth funding for 500 FDV community workers.

Priorities under the The Path to Safety: Western Australia’s WA Strategy to Reduce Family and Domestic Violence 2020- 2030 include ensuring victim-survivors and their dependents have immediate access to place-based FDV services and connecting perpetrators with interventions to support accountability and behaviour change. The Strategy identifies Aboriginal women and women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, amongst others, as being at greater risk of FDV3. The City’s population is diverse with 40% born overseas and 2% identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (increasing to 4-5% in some suburbs), highlighting the need for culturally appropriate services tailored to diverse needs.

The City of Wanneroo’s role is to provide localised data and other relevant information, act as a connector for local organisations and stakeholders and advocate in partnership with others.

The State Government’s role is to provide land and/or facilities, fund and maintain suitable facilities, fund ongoing operations and appoint provider/s to deliver the required services.
 

• WA Police Joondalup District
• Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS)
• WA Department of Communities Joondalup District
• Patricia Giles Centre for Non-Violence
• Anglicare WA
   

Existing services are at capacity and insufficient funding has been committed to meet the level of demand in this region. There is no identified City-managed Crown land that would meet the size and location required for the facilities. There has been no commitment to a FDV One Stop Hub in the northern suburbs of the City of Wanneroo despite significant funding commitments to FDV across WA.
 

An estimated $10m building costs for construction of for-purpose designed supported crisis accommodation, short term refuge accommodation and medium-term transitional accommodation services and ongoing operational funding commitment of $1.5m per annum.

An estimated $14.2m to commission a FDV One Stop Hub in the City of Wanneroo.
 

• Family and Domestic Violence Support and Accommodation - Advocacy Factsheet (PDF 2.78 MB)

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