Council takes stand on domestic and family violence

NAMBUCCA Valley Council will undertake a series of actions to reduce the rate and impact of domestic and family violence (DFV) in the community.

The move has been led by councillor Ljubov Simson, a survivor of family violence and gender-based workplace violence.

Cr Simson successfully moved a motion at Council’s 15 October meeting, outlining a range of steps council will take to promote awareness of DFV in the community, and improve the safety of residents.

Her motion noted that NSW domestic and family violence services have been funded at levels “significantly below demand for decades” and measures to prevent, respond to and aid recovery from DFV have not received adequate funding from state or federal governments.

Among the list of actions, Council will now advocate to State Ministers and Oxley MP Michael Kemp for funds available through the NSW Government’s Core and Cluster program, and to Federal Ministers and Cowper MP Pat Conaghan for programs available through the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children, for the funding of a safe-housing initiative in the Nambucca Valley.

Council will also advocate to the Anglicare Crisis Support Program to explore options for a safe-housing initiative.

It has also committed to promoting awareness of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence from 25 November to 10 December, Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month in May, and LGBTQI+ Domestic Violence Awareness Day.

Cr Simson said it is time to “break the silence” around DFV in the community.

“I for one am not happy to accept that this is a norm.

“I am not happy to be a bystander to violence.

“I am not happy that we remain uncomfortable to articulate the root causes of crime in our community to the point of invisibility.

“At last year’s crime forum our local commander confirmed that over 60 percent of reported crime in the Nambucca Valley is gender-based, domestic and family violence related.”