Moving towards a brighter future

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FAMILY & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

We support survivors of family and domestic violence by providing temporary accommodation, case management, life skills workshops, links to heath and legal services and help to find a new home.

Survivors like Jenny*.

For 12 years, Jenny stayed in a violent relationship in order to keep her family together, constantly telling her kids to go to their rooms so they wouldn't see or hear anything.

Then, finally, she bravely decided to leave.

"Their father left for a holiday and I told him not to come back - I didn't want him in my life," Jenny says.

Fearful of what her husband may do when he returned, Jenny got the kids safely away before they could witness any further abuse and ultimately, see him set fire to their house.

With nowhere to go, Jenny did her best to keep her kids safe on limited funds, bouncing around between rental homes, housing commission properties, motels and emergency accommodation.

After three years sleeping rough, Jenny heard about BoysTown and our work with family violence survivors and the support we offer families affected by homelessness - helping them re-establish their independence.

Filled with hope she got in touch and asked for help.

"I thought I was dreaming when I stepped inside and there were cupboards full of food!" Jenny says of their new temporary home.

Having somewhere to live has meant my kids have been able to finish school - that never would have happened if we were still on the streets. Jenny

After 18 months in refuge accommodation, Jenny now lives with her kids in a four bedroom house, secured with our assistance.

"I feel more confident and healthy, and I can finally be myself," Jenny says.

*This blog post was compiled with the help of Kristine Tarbert's Woman’s Day article published in October 2015.

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