What we do
Staying Home, Leaving Violence (SHLV) supports women and children to stay in their homes (or a home of their choice) after violence or abuse. SHLV provides long term case management to women and their children who have separated from their violent partner to stay in their homes.
How this service helps
- Supporting you to develop a safety plan that is unique to you. SHLV aims to create a tailor-made case management experience, whereby the women we work with lead the way and our support is here to ensure your recovery journey is the best it can be.
- Providing security upgrades of the home dependant on your needs. this could mean changing the locks, helping you set up security cameras or installing other security measures (if you are renting, we will need to work with your landlord)
- Long term support to help you recover from the trauma and abuse dependant on your needs. This could include helping you find a counsellor, supporting you to access good supports and legal advice to help you safely manage family law proceedings and connecting you with other services to help you and your family.
- SHLV also provides practical support. This could be supporting you to navigate tenancy issues, improve your financial situation through accessing the available resources and attending financial counselling, or working towards goals such as employment.
A Woman’s experience
Before I was referred to SHLV, I wasnt sleeping at night as I was so frightened that my ex partner would break into my home. I had noticed that his car was driving up and down my street. I had an AVO, but didn’t feel I was able to prove that he was breaching this as it felt like it would be my word against his.
A friend suggested I call SHLV. They supporting me to strengthen the locks on my home and install a camera security system. I felt immediately safety as I knew that the camera would act as a deterrent to my ex as he could see them and didnt want to get caught by the police breaching the AVO.
Once this was done, my case worker helped me identify the other types of abuse I had and continued to experience. They also helped me understand how the DFV had impacted by children and together we came up with ways to make sure they had the support they needed.
SHLV supported me to make a report to the police when the cameras caught my ex approaching my home. Having the evidence made the experience of going to the police a lot easier. I felt empowered.
Over time, I felt ready to access counselling which really helped. My kids are all now in counselling and we are all sleeping better at night.
Knowing that I was safer in my home enabled me to be the best mum I could be.