Women's Legal Service Queensland CEO Angela Lynch hopes the Queensland Government will give her service an extra $300,000 to support regional domestic violence victims and survivors.
Women's Legal Service Queensland CEO Angela Lynch hopes the Queensland Government will give her service an extra $300,000 to support regional domestic violence victims and survivors. Contributed

Funding hole puts DV victims at risk

HUNDREDS of our region's domestic violence victims will be left in limbo when Women's Legal Service Queensland drastically reduces its statewide telephone support service on July 1.

WLSQ has warned the number of Warwick locals it helps in the next 12 months will be halved if the Queensland Government rejects its plea for an extra $300,000 a year in Tuesday's state Budget.

The service responded to about 2200 calls for help from Warwick and Toowoomba in the past 12 months. However, about 1100 calls went unanswered due to a lack of funding that cut staff hours.

The number of calls not answered will double in the coming financial year as WLSQ is forced to reject 13,000 calls for help across the state.

The situation is so dire the charity has been forced to think outside of the square to raise money.

In the past few months it has held morning teas, sausage sizzles, trivia nights and even second- hand clothing stalls to keep the helpline operating.

Warwick Safe Haven president Bette Bonney works to support victims with the Domestic Violence Action Centre, which operates in Warwick once a week.

She said while there were great services available locally, there were areas where more could be done.

"We're living in hope that there will be more face-to-face counselling, that's something we would like to see,” she said.

"We know that there are some groups looking for perpetrator programs.”

Mrs Bonney said domestic violence was "prevalent” in Warwick, with those seeking help being of all ages, including elderly people.

Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath ruled out giving WLSQ the $300,000, saying the organisation already received about $1.25 million a year from state coffers.

WLSQ Rural, Regional and Remote solicitor Julie Hearnden said women living in smaller communities had problems accessing legal help because their abusive partners were often clients of the area's only lawyer.

Ms Hearnden said survivors usually had no money to pay legal bills as abusers controlled the family finances and legal aid was usually not an option as the women might work or there could be assets in their name. "Women in regional areas are at higher risk of domestic violence,” Ms Hearnden said.

WLSQ helps women with a range of legal issues including applying for a protection order and navigating family law processes.

CEO Angela Lynch said the State Government was putting lives on the line.

"The cuts will hit regional Queensland the worst because our state-wide helpline is a main access point for regional Queenslanders,” Ms Lynch said.

"We don't want another woman and her children to suffer alone simply because of a budget line item.

"Legal advice is essential to safety - there are lives on the line.”

Ms D'Ath said many "worthy” domestic violence organisations competed for government funds and each one had to go through a "rigorous” process to receive money.

She said WLSQ would get about $4 million over three years.

"The WLSQ received a substantial amount from this rigorous grants process - $3.6 million over three years,” Ms D'Ath said.

"WLSQ also received extra payments specifically for their helpline, including $100,000 in September 2015, and an additional $100,000 per year from 2016-2019.”

Member for the Southern Downs Lawrence Springborg believed support services were vital but a long-lasting solution would only be achieved through cultural change.

"What we've got to do is reset our values so people respect the relationships, they respect the commitment, that is critically important.

"Until we really crack that, we're going to keep putting a band-aid on it.”

Shadow domestic violence prevention minister Ros Bates said the State Government needed to dig deep for WLSQ if it was serious about helping domestic violence victims.

"Any cut to existing funding arrangements for WLSQ will have a negative impact on their ability to assist vulnerable victims,” Ms Bates said.

For 24-hour domestic violence support in Queensland phone DVConnect on 1800811811, MensLine on 1800600636 or the national hotline 1800RESPECT on 1800737732.



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