Anglicare WA is launching a new initiative to meet the needs of children affected by family violence. This initiative has been supported by their Women in Reflection Committee.

Women in Reflection is a group of influential Perth women, who have come together to identify resources to provide the infrastructure and resources to support counseling services for children who are living with family violence, an under-resourced area of such critical need. This exciting initiative will be undertaken through Anglicare WA, and will be launched on 29th May.

Led by Patron Cheryl Herft, the Committee, which includes Dr Jane Freemantle, Denise Satterley, Libby Youd, Tamara Gibbs, Sue Trahar and Megan Airey, are determined to ensure that the necessary funds are identified to enable expert and accessible services to be provided for these children.

Dr Jane Freemantle, Committee Member and Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research said “Family violence affects all levels of our society and children tend to be the forgotten victims. The negative affects of living within such unhealthy environments are clearly observed through the life course of these children and are often perpetuated into future generations.  We must ensure that these children are no longer invisible in the current crisis of escalating family violence and that they receive the necessary support and counselling to limit the impact of family violence on their lives and their future.  ”

Ms Jennie Hannan, Executive General Manager Services, Anglicare WA said unfortunately children can be the most vulnerable and often forgotten victims of domestic violence.

“It was once thought a child did not suffer if they were not the direct target of abuse. Evidence now shows that the long term impacts of witnessing domestic violence are substantial and can interfere with a child’s social, intellectual, emotional and behavioural development. Despite this evidence, there is a substantial waiting list for services designed to help these children” said Ms Hannan.

In 2006, WA Police were called out to more than 27,000 family violence-related incidents and issued 6,200 police orders*. Although rarely spoken of in society, Anglicare WA is only too aware of the effects of family violence as they meet the victims and hear their stories daily.

In Perth there is extremely limited funding for counseling for children affected by family violence.  Women in Reflection in acknowledging the inadequacy of both the provision of suitable services and their accessibility will be seeking funds from within the Western Australian community and corporate organisations to redress this current state of affairs.

Ends
10th May 2007

* Media Release Minister Sue Ellery, 26 April 2007, Perth Marches Against Family and Domestic Violence

Media Contact:
Georgina Sharp, phone 9319 6403 or email georgina.sharp@anglicarewa.org.au