Australia To Give Women Escaping Violent Relationships $3,700 To Start New Life

Women escaping violent relationships in Australia may receive more than US$3,000 as part of an effort to help them establish a new life.

The Escaping Violence Payment is part of a US$819 million (AU$1.1 billion) package prioritizing women’s safety. The pilot program will be hosted by the UnitingCare Australia Consortium, a national body for the Uniting Church’s community services network.

Beginning Oct. 19, women and children escaping domestic and family violence will be eligible for a US$3,700 (AU$5,000) emergency fund. The program will offer US$1,100 (AU$1,500) in financial assistance, such as vouchers, and US$2,600 (AU$3,500) in direct payments for use in covering rental bonds and school fees.

“This payment is about more than just providing financial assistance. It will help women and their children by providing them with the support they need to leave violent relationships,” Uniting Vic.Tas CEO Bronwyn Pike said in a statement.

The Employee Violence Payment will not be taxable. It will also not be considered a reportable income. The payments would not have any impact on other social security payments that the victim may be receiving.

To be eligible for the payments, women are required to show evidence of financial stress and domestic violence, which covers physical, verbal, sexual, emotional, spiritual or psychological abuse.

Evidence may include a police report, AVO, court order or referral from a family and domestic violence service provider with a risk assessment and safety plan.

Women can begin applying for the two-year trial through the UnitingCare Network beginning Tuesday.

Eight service agencies will collaborate with Uniting Vic.Tas to distribute the payments to survivors across Australia. These agencies include Wesley Mission, UnitingCare, Uniting WA, Uniting Communities, UnitingCare Wesley Bowden, Uniting SA, Uniting Country SA, Somerville.

The Escaping Violence Payment program comes after an analysis by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that, on average, one in six women experience partner violence. The analysis also found that one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner.

In July, a survey released by the Australian Institute of Criminology also found that domestic violence became worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women who were surveyed said the abuse became more severe since the beginning of the pandemic.