16 Days of Activism: South West Victoria Records Surge in Women Seeking Help

As the international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign begins, The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre reports a stark 30% increase in women seeking assistance across South West Victoria in 2024.

Violence against women remains a national crisis, with communities across Barwon, Wimmera and the South West experiencing some of the highest rates of family and sexual violence in Australia.

“While violence is prevalent, it is preventable,” Miss Vesna Allan, Chairperson said. “The 30% increase in women asking for assistance through our legal program demonstrates both the scale of need and the growing trust in our services.”

Over the past financial year, the SAFV Centre has seen a 30% increase in the number of unique clients assisted across all of our program areas including therapeutics, case management and legal services to victim survivors in the South West. Crime Statistics data shows a 4.2% increase in family violence incidents in the previous 12 months across the region.

“While rises in family violence continue to be reported, these figures remind us why prevention remains essential. They reflect the deep-rooted drivers of violence that our community must address, and they reinforce the importance of the work we do every day at The SAFV Centre — from primary prevention and community education to specialist response and legal support. Our commitment is to continue driving change, supporting those impacted, and working toward a safer future for all.” Miss Allan says.

Recognising the critical need for accessible justice, The SAFV Centre successfully advocated for sustained funding for legal services, particularly for women and children in regional and rural areas. In July this year, the Centre secured ongoing funding for legal services for a further three years under the National Access to Justice Partnership (NAJP).

“We thank the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments, along with Victoria Legal Aid, for their ongoing support of services that provide vital pathways to safety and justice for victim survivors,” Miss Allan said.

The 16 Days of Activism campaign, running from 25 November to 10 December, calls for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. Throughout this period, The SAFV Centre reaffirms its commitment to providing specialist sexual and family violence services across Barwon, Wimmera, and South West.

The SAFV Centre is grateful for the ongoing support of Victoria Legal Aid and Women’s Legal Service Victoria. While the physical doors of Emma House are closed, the Emma House Legal Program remains part of the Centre’s broader integrated care service streams. Clients can still access services, and any new referral or service enquiry is being managed by the appropriate person.

“The program is currently operating under interim arrangements while we recruit to the principal solicitor role,” Miss Allan said.

“We recognise the challenges in the regional legal services landscape – Community Legal Centres are at capacity and local private firms have limited availability for this work. This is precisely why the Emma House legal service is so critical and why we’re committed to its restoration through the appointment of a new principal solicitor.”

The Centre is being well supported by Victoria Legal Aid, Women’s Legal Service Victoria, and the Department of Justice and Community Safety to ensure service continuity during this recruitment period. An announcement of a new principal solicitor is imminent.