The NSW Government’s comprehensive approach to domestic and family violence includes funding for prevention, early intervention, crisis and legal responses.
The 2024-25 NSW Budget also includes a historic commitment to support victim-survivors of domestic and family violence access safe and affordable long-term housing.
A major step in helping those escaping domestic and family violence.
The NSW Government is investing a historic $5.1 billion to build safe, accessible and affordable housing.
At least half of the new homes built will be prioritised for victim-survivors of family and domestic violence.
This means at least 3100 vulnerable people leaving abusive relationships will have access to a new home under this program.
The NSW Government will invest $245.6 million as part of an emergency package to enhance support for domestic and family violence victim-survivors and expand programs that reduce the rate of violence against women and children. This includes:
Crisis response
- $48 million to roll out the Staying Home Leaving Violence program statewide and expand the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service.
Early intervention
- $48.1 million to secure and increase funding for workers who support children accompanying their mothers to refuges. These specialist workers support them, including with education and mental health measures.
- An additional $700,000 in 2024-25 for the NSW Domestic Violence Line.
Primary prevention
- $38.3 million for the implementation of NSW's first dedicated Primary Prevention Strategy. The Pathways to Prevention: NSW Strategy for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence 2024-2027 will develop a range of initiatives to address the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence.
- $8.1 million for the ‘All in’ early childhood pilot to prevent domestic violence by teaching young children about healthy relationships.
- $10 million to expand Men’s Behaviour Change Programs to enable men to recognise their violent behaviour and develop strategies to prevent the use of violence.
Strengthening the sector
- $5 million for workforce training on the implementation of a newly developed risk assessment framework and other priority areas.
- $3.6 million to expand Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW), which is the peak body for specialist services in NSW.
Improving the justice system for victims
- $45 million has been set aside to improve bail laws and justice system responses to domestic violence.
- $24.1 million for the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS) to meet the increasing demand of victim survivors requiring support to navigate the justice system.
- $5.5 million in 2024-25 to expand the WDVCAS hearing support and Police co-location pilot programs.
- $2.1 million to support the Domestic Violence Death Review Team and its work to deliver robust research around risks factors, trends and impact of service delivery.
- $2.1 million over 2 years to improve and continue the Corrective Services program EQUIPS Domestic and Family Violence, delivered to offenders in custody and under supervision in the community to prevent reoffending.
Research
- $5 million for research into perpetrators and effective interventions.
Too many lives have been lost and too many families have been broken because of domestic and family violence. It is a blight in our communities and it is a problem that deserves the NSW Government’s concerned attention and response.
This Budget is an important step in the NSW Government’s work to provide appropriate, ongoing and all-encompassing wraparound support for victim-survivors, and to ensure that anyone leaving an abusive relationship has a pathway to safety and recovery.
