- Men’s help on the way

By SHANELLE MILLER - Wednesday, 21 October 2009

A severe shortage of crisis accommodation for men in the South West could he solved thanks to recent South West Development Commission funding

As part of the Royalties for Regions initiative, Agencies for South West Accommodation received more than $22500 to wards the development of a men’s emergency accommodation service.

CEO of Agencies for South West Accommodation Neil Hamilton said a facility was needed to accommodate men who had to leave home as a result of domestic violence.

“Men are predominantly the major perpetrators of domestic violence and when they are forced to leave the home by police order it can be traumatic for the whole family,” Mr Hamilton said.

“The facility would allow the perpetrator and family breathing space to reflect and work out the best soIution.”

While Agencies for South West Accommodation was chosen to drive the project, Mr Hamilton said it would eventually involve local police and counselling services to become a whole community effort.

Bunbury’s Waratah Support Centre CEO Liz Phillips spoke to the Bunbury Mail about the lack of crisis accommodation about a year ago and has now said the need was as strong as ever.

Ms Phillips said from July 1 last year to June 30 this year the centre received 44 referrals from police in the South West to the Pilot Outreach Project, which deals with early intervention for family domestic violence and referrals to support agencies.

“This means that potentially 44 men were in need of crisis accommodation in the South West,” Ms Phillips said.

Mr Hamilton said the funding will be used to conduct a national and international review of accommodation facilities to find out what would work best in the South West.

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