“Violence against women impact the full diversity of women and across all ages. It is an outrage that girls through to older women are suffering because the government is not doing enough to provide support, build affordable housing and ensure adequate wraparound services.” said Yumi Lee, CEO of Older Women Network NSW

NSW Women’s Alliance launches 2023 State Election Platform, hosted by Hon. Natalie Ward, Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence, and supported by Shadow Minister Jodie Harrison MP and Abigail Boyd, MLC, asks for Real Commitment to Women’s Safety. 

With the rate of violence against women, specifically domestic violence assaults, having increased annually in the past five years and sexual violence has increased by 21% in 2021 alone, this is the fastest growing crime reported in NSW.

“The NSW Women’s Alliance has seven recommendations aiming to reduce sexual, domestic and family violence, including investments of $20 million per year for preventing violence, $133 million per year increase for specialist services, and an extension to the consultation period for the coercive control bill,” said Interim CEO of DVNSW, Elise Phillips. 

This platform represents women’s wishes and includes safe, phased, transparent, accountable and consistent approaches to sexual, domestic and family violence by police and courts. The campaign calls upon the NSW Parliament to act by ending gendered violence and creating a safe state for all in NSW, with commitments to:

1. A coordinated, whole-of-government approach to sexual, domestic, and family violence policy in NSW. 
2. Commit to intersectional primary prevention to end gendered violence and promote gender equality. 
3. Immediate and long-term support for people experiencing and recovering from sexual, domestic, and family violence 
4. Safe and appropriate housing for everybody experiencing and recovering from sexual, domestic, and family violence. 
5. Reform legal systems and policing for people experiencing sexual, domestic, and family violence. 
6. Enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to lead the change towards ending sexual, domestic, and family violence in their communities. 
7. Develop and implement a workforce development plan for the specialist sexual, domestic, and family violence sector.

“This election is an opportunity for NSW to put women’s safety as a higher priority,” Phillips said.