Nationally, women and children who are in physical danger will often spend several nights, if not weeks, in a funded hotel room.
There will be some vouchers for food and to buy the pyjamas, toothbrushes and other items that have usually been left behind. A case manager will phone, once a day, to check they have their basic needs met and to make a plan for their exit.
There are two problems with this system. The first is it’s an isolating and frightening experience – especially for people in a state of shock and trauma.
They can’t tell anyone where they are. They might have been told their phone is not safe and be waiting for a new one. There might be a full kitchen, but often it’s just a kitchenette – and they’re unable to cook the foods that might be familiar and comforting.
Women are often accompanied by children, sometimes babies and toddlers, who have no toys to console or occupy them.
There’s nowhere for kids to play. For adult victims, there’s no one to talk to. They’re fearful of the very real risk of danger, but what is going to happen next –or how long they’ll be waiting to find out – is unknown.
It’s during this time that some victims return to the person using violence. These decisions are complex and there can be many reasons.
But being stuck in a small and unsuitable environment, fearful, isolated and without a clear pathway forward for themselves and their children, is a major factor.
The second problem, if they do remain in the crisis hotel room, is there are very few places to go next.
Sanctuary is a supported crisis accommodation that provides safety, rest and wraparound support for victims of family violence.
It’s run by Victoria’s statewide 24/7 family violence service, Safe Steps, and has state and federal funding.
The 12-month evaluation shows the Sanctuary model enables safer outcomes for people in a family violence crisis than the current emergency hotels.
Source: Crisis accommodation is failing women fleeing domestic violence. Here’s how to fix it