{loadposition breadcrumbs_share} Mission Australia is excited to be launching a new service that pilots an innovative solution to providing safe, secure, independent and affordable housing for women and children who experience domestic and family violence (DFV). Over the last few years, people from the community services sector, business and government and people with lived experience have come together, convened by the Constellation Projecti, to co-develop a solution for how to connect landlords who wish to provide affordable housing with the women and children who desperately need it. The ..read more

{loadposition breadcrumbs_share} Kate faced a gut-wrenching choice between staying in a violent home or facing homelessness. Kate made the difficult decision to leave behind everything she knew in the hope of finding a safe place to call home. With her four children in tow, she became part of the hidden homeless, finding shelter wherever she could, including couches, hotels, and women's refuges. She was always looking over her shoulder, afraid that her ex-partner would find them. Finally, Kate found a permanent place to live, but it was more than a thousand kilometers away from her previous ho ..read more

{loadposition breadcrumbs_share} Laura escaped an abusive home with her son Domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness in Australia. Choosing between homelessness or an unsafe and violent home is a choice that no parent should have to make. Every hour, 3000 Australians desperately seek help from homelessness services like Mission Australia1. Families like single mum Laura and her son Ollie, were forced to sleep in their car after fleeing her violent partner. Laura's story: Reclaiming life, one day at a time It’s difficult to imagine how unbearable life would have to b ..read more

{loadposition breadcrumbs_share} Domestic and family violence refers to any violent behaviour between family members, partners, and more. Violence can include physical, sexual, emotional, social, verbal, spiritual and economic abuse. In Australia, 1.6 million women have experienced physical or sexual violence from a current or previous partner. Alarmingly, more than 100,000 people who have experienced family and domestic violence received support from specialist homelessness services last year.1 Here are five ways you can stand against domestic and family violence: 1. Raise awareness against d ..read more

{loadposition breadcrumbs_share} Weighed down by abuse and trauma, Jenny* felt failure was all she deserved. Read how, thanks to our supporters and staff, Jenny regained confidence to turn her situation around and step towards a better life. Domestic and family violence (DFV) remains the leading cause of homelessness in Australia. Many people escaping abusive relationships don't have support networks to turn to for help.  Jenny's story: hitting a dead end As a single mother to Michael* (11) and Sora* (8), Jenny wanted to give her children the best. She had endured and escaped an abusive r ..read more

{loadposition breadcrumbs_share} Domestic and family violence (DFV) remains a leading cause of hidden homelessness in Australia. DFV is a serious issue with long-lasting effects, knowing the signs and symptoms can help protect vulnerable people experiencing violence or abuse. Here’s what you need to know to help someone who you suspect is experiencing DFV. Defining domestic and family violence Domestic and family violence does not affect just one group, culture, gender, or sexuality, but it can affect family members and intimate partners across our communities. Domestic violence is a subset of ..read more

{loadposition breadcrumbs_share} Domestic and family violence (DFV) is a serious issue with devastating impacts on everyone involved. Even though issues arise between individuals, domestic and family violence can have long-term effects on families and the wider community. In Australia, domestic and family violence is one of the main reasons that men, women and children seek help from specialist homelessness services such as Mission Australia. What is domestic and family violence? Domestic and family violence is not limited to one group, culture, gender or sexuality but can affect family membe ..read more

{loadposition breadcrumbs_share} When life gets messy or situations turn sour, discovering healthy ways to cope with pain and difficulty makes a significant difference to our wellbeing and independence. Since 2021, our Partners Toward Wellbeing (PTW) program in South Australia is helping vulnerable people uncover new ways of managing life’s challenges and find healthy ways of coping. Thanks to support from our partner, Sonder and funding from Adelaide Primary Health Network, the following stories of transformation and recovery are possible: Turning trauma into self-confidence: Louise’s recover ..read more

{loadposition breadcrumbs_share} Domestic and family violence (DFV) is alarmingly widespread in Australia. The most recent Personal Safety Survey from the ABS revealed that 2 in 5 Australian adults (41%) had experienced violence (psychical or sexual) since the age of 15.1 While DFV has devastating impacts on an individual‘s physical health and wellbeing, exposure to violence can also have severe impacts on their mental health, self-worth, relationships, housing outcomes – many of which are difficult to spot on the surface. Here are four of the (many) unseen impacts of DFV in Australia: Unseen ..read more

{loadposition breadcrumbs_share} Violence behind closed doors On the surface, eight-year-old Katy’s life seemed normal. She liked to sing, dance, and FaceTime with her school friends. Behind her cheeky smile and tidy ponytail, no one would have guessed what Katy was facing at home. Most nights, Katy could hear her dad’s yelling and mum’s screaming. On particularly bad evenings, Katy remembers the sound of plates being thrown around the kitchen. In those terrifying moments, Katy hid in her bedroom. "Every time mum and dad were fighting, I'd run to my room, shut the door and hide under the ..read more