‘A long time to become a survivor’: a shelter helped Julia rebuild – but many NSW women are being turned away
Julia says she was initially reluctant to go to a shelter but now describes staff as a “second family”. The support she received from her caseworker was beyond what she expected.
Tania Smith, manager of the new shelter, says offering families their own space is something the sector has wanted for a long time. While it is unclear how many have opened, Guardian Australia understands 39 projects are at various stages of approval and construction.Annabel Daniel is the chair of Domestic Violence NSW and chief executive officer of charity and social franchise Women’s Community Shelters which has helped establish 11 shelters in communities across NSW over the last decade.
“Often women will find it all too hard and go, ‘what am I going to do? I’m going to go back, it’s better the devil you know.’”