Safe, Connected and Autonomous: What if housing supported us post crisis?
Housing is a basic human right.
A safe place to live is essential for rebuilding your life after a personal crisis. When our women are denied access to safe and secure housing, their experiences of violence and trauma never ends. The current housing crisis means women are being kept in prison past their release dates, released into homelessness, or into dangerous housing situations. This is not acceptable.
When we have safe, connected and autonomous housing for women exiting prison, they can begin rebuilding their lives, in the way they choose.
We can stop the punishment of women who’ve experienced violence and/or been in prison with better housing options.
Why isn’t current housing safe, connected and autonomous?
Safe housing would be able to provide physical and emotional protection from threats.
Most of our crisis accommodation goes to hotels/motels. These are unsafe places, that potentially expose women and their children to further harm, or result in the removal of children.
Case study:
Amy made the decision to leave her violent partner and called us for assistance with crisis accommodation. We found a motel room for her. At about 10pm on first night she received a knock on the door from a man unknown to her, who was also staying at the motel. He said he’d been watching her during the day and wanted to come in. Amy called motel management, who were unhelpful, and requested a change in accommodation from us.
To create better pathways out of homelessness, the holistic, specialist approach employed by Elizabeth Morgan House is looking for:
Further transitional and long term housing options for our programs
As the only specialist family violence service for Aboriginal women and children in the state, the current funding model keeps our women and our organisation marginalised. To achieve a lasting impact, we need a flexible funding model.
Appropriate referral pathways out of prison and out of violent homes are essential to achieve this. Dedicated transitional housing is needed now.
An end to motel crisis accommodation
While the NSW Government recently introduced a ban on minors in crisis motel accommodation, there are no such restrictions in Victoria. We need safe alternatives, places that allow for the rebuilding of your life, near employment, support networks, education and childcare.
Changes to case management approaches
Aboriginal women and their children are at the centre of everything we do at Elizabeth Morgan House. Our client-led approach considers trauma, strengths and cultural identity across a woman’s journey.
While Elizabeth Morgan House might practice this approach, other services within our ecosystem do not. This creates fractures in the trust from our women, and the system generally, and imposes a barrier to accessing services. Our women need complex, culturally safe, case management support.
Want to lend your voice?
Elizabeth Morgan House is a member based organisation and we encourage all Aboriginal women to become members. Together we resist. Together we rise.
We appreciate any donations that help us provide a voice for Aboriginal women and children to government.
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