Domestic Violence Services
"Fourteen years ago, the Salvos helped me when I needed it most. If it wasn't for them, I don't know where, or who I would be today."
-- Tessa Jetson (see her story below)
At least 23% or 2.2 million Australian women have survived instances of domestic / family violence.
The abuse and threat of abuse may manifest, singularly or in multiple patterns, as follows:
- psychological
- verbal
- physical
- social
- sexual
- financial.
Survivors of abuse only begin to rebuild their lives when they are safe, not threatened by the abuser/s, and helped to be in a position to pursue their own self-interest and desires of the heart.
Nationally, the salvos help more than 2,000 women escaping domestic violence, as well as additional numbers of women and children at risk, through specific women’s programs and family/domestic violence services each year.
In recent years our work has focused on providing refuge shelter for women escaping domestic violence.
Refuges operated by The Salvation Army are open to all women escaping domestic violence who are in need of safe accommodation and personal support.
Our women's refuges generally are prepared to take women with additional difficulties such as those with a psychiatric disability or with drug and alcohol related problems.
Over recent years an increasing number of women awaiting refugee status are seeking accommodation in these shelters as they have no income and lack access to accommodation within the community.
In common with a number of other women's refuges, The Salvation Army provides child care facilities within these services to ensure that both children and their mothers are able to be adequately assisted.
What is Domestic Violence
- Domestic Violence is any form of abuse, violence or intimidation by a person in a relationship that aims to establish and maintain control over another person. It serves to keep a person in a state of fear.
- Domestic Violence is not only physical abuse. It includes actual or threatened physical violence, verbal, emotional, social, financial and spiritual abuse and sexual assault.
- Domestic Violence happens in all kinds of families from all different kinds of backgrounds.
- Domestic Violence is in the majority of cases carried out by men against women.
- Violence whether it happens inside or outside the family home is a criminal offence.
Cycle of Violence
Most perpetrators experience domestic violence as part of a cycle with different stages:
Build-up Phase:
The perpetrator’s behaviour escalates from controlling and abusive to increasingly threatening and violent as tension increases. The woman may feel like she is walking on eggshells.
Explosion:
The most dangerous part of the cycle. It can involve serious threats, physical and verbal assault, damaging property. Some men cite “loss of control” as an excuse for violence.
Remorse/Blame/Denial Phase:
After the violence the perpetrator often feels guilt, shame or remorse. Some will deny and play down their actions, or blame their partner or other factors.
Pursuit Phase:
The perpetrator may use charm or seduction, buy gifts or make more threats to get his partner back with promises to change.
Honeymoon Phase:
There may be a period of calm when things appear as if they have changed, but as pressure builds within the perpetrator for various reasons – thought patterns, work or family pressures – the cycle continues.
