January 06, 2025Our Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) team provides much needed support.
Maria* was urgently referred to us by the Burwood Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service after her Domestic Violence (DV) case was discussed at the latest Safety Action Meeting, where police expressed concerns about her safety.
Maria had travelled to Australia on a student visa and became involved with Pedro*, her now ex-partner, where they continued an on and off relationship from 2020 to 2023. During the relationship Pedro had stalked, harassed, intimidated, and verbally abused Maria. During a particular incident in 2023, Maria filed a police report and police applied for an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) and Pedro had charges placed against him. However, the AVO was dismissed in 2023 and he was found not guilty of the charges. For six months following the court matter there was no contact from Pedro.
One night, unexpectedly, Pedro contacted Maria and she agreed to meet him at her home. During this meeting they argued and Maria called police again. After making the call Maria considered calling the police to cancel the accusation, however, she noticed that her keys were missing and feared that Pedro had taken them to gain access to the property. She tried to call him; however, he did not respond. Police completed a Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT), where Maria scored as a matter of “Serious Threat” based on threats of Pedro to have her reported to immigration and *Client names changed to protect privacy threats to kill both her and her pets.
A new AVO was applied for with an exclusion order preventing Pedro from contacting or approaching her. When our Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) team first contacted Maria, she was hesitant to speak due to safety and confidentiality concerns. However, our SHLV caseworker provided trauma-informed support, quickly assessed her needs, and arranged for her locks to be changed that evening to fit her work schedule. Maria was extremely grateful for the prompt support from SHLV, which allowed her to return to work the next day without financial impact, as she was working on a casual rate.
Reflecting on her experience, Maria expressed her deep appreciation:
“I can’t thank you enough for everything my caseworker from the Staying Home Leaving Violence Program has done for me. I was referred by another service, and I came scared for my safety and my kids’ safety. The caseworker assured me I was in safe hands. I started off homeless, but she helped me get on my feet, connected me with other services, and helped me secure public housing with Wesley Mission. She also supported my mental health and self-esteem and provided food for me and my kids on multiple occasions. I’m now so happy and safe, and my three kids and I are in public housing. I am forever grateful. I’m crying happy tears writing this message. Thank you so much.”
*Names changed to protect privacy