No one begins a relationship expecting it to turn violent or abusive, however over time, one person can start to take control by using fear and intimidation that includes violence or coercive control.
Even after ending a relationship, domestic and family violence does not always stop.
Our individualised services help you or your family effectively deal with and recover from the experience and help you move on positively with your life.
Lucy shares her courageous story of healing from trauma. The right supports at the right time saved her and her two children from despair and danger.
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Homelessness Week is an annual national event used to raise awareness and provide information around the impacts of homelessness and the actions needed to provide solutions and support.
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Your trauma experience may affect your parenting in multiple ways. This may mean you could experience more challenges in the relationship with your child.
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Over nearly two decades of marriage David’s wife used controlling tactics to isolate and manipulate him and their two teenage daughters,
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Elderly Ken was referred to Windermere’s Victims Assistance Program by a counselling service. At the time Ken was struggling to come to terms with a legacy of childhood abuse.
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Windermere, acting on behalf of Bushfire Recovery Victoria, provided Eric with a range of supports. This included identifying his immediate needs and plans for the future and linking him into psychological first aid and counselling.
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After facing family violence, near homelessness and financial distress, mum Lauren and her young daughter have turned their lives around.
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“I was homeless and now three of my kids were gone. I don’t know what I would have done without Windermere” she says.
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Our Community Connector workers tailor support plan to individual needs.
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When I lived in Singapore I was part of the psychosocial trauma support team as well as the crisis and trauma team of a women's and children's hospital.
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"People look at survivors and characterise us as brave and strong, but ...if I could say one thing to someone still in it, it would be that you don’t have to be those things to get out."
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“It was such a relief to have my kids back and know that I can look after them again.”
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Windermere’s Community Connector workers can receive direct referrals from East Gippsland residents via phone 0499 500 495 or email CASIcommunityconnector@windermere.org.au
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You can make a difference while “social distancing”, by making a tax deductible donation today; giving vulnerable children and families access to the additional supports they so desperately need now.
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After fleeing a violent relationship which saw her hospitalised, 19 year old Chloe, had nowhere safe to go. A friend had let her sleep on their couch for a few weeks, but this was becoming more and more difficult with a baby and she knew she could not stay there forever.
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The women and children in the program have all been homeless or at risk of homelessness due to family violence.
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It is important to look after your mental health in tough times. Here are five simple things that you can start doing now.
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Safety is always the priority. Often the person experiencing family violence will feel that they are to blame for their family member’s behaviour. Often this will be a male partner, but this is not always the case.
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Unfortunately when we have an overwhelmingly negative experience, our emotions can become trapped. We are unable to move on from the impact of the traumatic event until we process our responses to what has happened.
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Our Mums & Bubs program continues to give young mothers at risk of homelessness a chance to build a safer, more stable life.
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Key workers work with children under seven years old who have a developmental delay or disability. A key worker is part of Windermere's range of therapy and support services.
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When Kate first got in touch with Windermere she knew she was in trouble. She had been trapped in a violent relationship for years, and things were now at an all time low.
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If the thought of the first siren of the AFL season can't come soon enough, then you can't afford to miss Bounce of the Ball 2019. This year it's at the home of football - in the Member's Dining Room at the MCG.
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The Mums & Bubs program does not simply provide safe, short term accommodation to mums and their babies when they need it most. Through mentoring, support and skill development it also equips the mothers and their babies to live safer and more independent lives when they leave the program.
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In October this year a group led by Windermere Ambassador and footy great Matthew "Richo" Richardson will trek Kokoda to raise funds to end family violence.
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More victims of crime are being connected with the support services they need thanks to a new initiative between Sale Police and Windermere Child and Family Services.
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Family violence is a sign of an unhealthy relationship and impacts across all genders, professions and age groups.
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BIG Congratulations to Windermere Ambassador, Tiger champion and all round nice bloke - Matthew 'Richo' Richardson, on being inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame last night.
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If the thought of the first siren of the AFL season can't come soon enough, then you can't afford to miss Bounce of the Ball 2018. This year it's at the home of football - in the Member's Dining Room at the MCG.
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The festive season is well and truly upon us and for most of us it's a precious and happy time spent with family and friends, but for some it can be a difficult and lonely time. Circumstances can mean families, like Cally's and Makrem's, find themselves needing the most basic of items - food, money to pay bills and gifts for children.
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Two women are killed every week as a result of family violence - across our work with families, schools and community groups we strive to drive this number down. Our Building Respectful Relationships schools program creates and builds positive perspectives and behaviours in students around gender. This year alone we have reached over 170 year 9 students at Cranbourne Secondary College.
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In 1942, Kokoda was the scene of bitter fighting. Today, we fight to end family violence. Support Richo and Windermere on the Kokoda Trek 2018.
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On Monday 29th August at the Toomah Community Centre in Pakenham, Windermere hosted A Conversation with Rosie Batty an event designed to bring together politicians, family violence professionals and the community to discuss strategies to help reduce family violence.
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If the thought of the first siren of the AFL season can't come soon enough, then you can't afford to miss Bounce of the Ball 2017. This year it's at the home of football - in the Member's Dining Room at the MCG.
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We have played an active role in the Victims Assistance Program since 1999 and our experience has shown that a flexible and responsible service as soon as possible after a crime is reported is critical to a victim’s wellbeing.
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Windermere staff joined the recent ‘Say NO to Family Violence’ campaign. November was family Violence Prevention month, a time for reflection by all. Early prevention and intervention is key and we all have a responsibility to raise awareness of the impact family violence has on so many in our local community.
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Hard work ahead: Windermere's Gippsland Victim Assistance Program team leader Carol Barraclough wants to continue the conversation preventing all violence.
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We are thrilled to say that our new Initiative Building Respectful Relationships has been a great success. Over 100 Year 8 students from Cranbourne Secondary College, underwent the program facilitated by two members of our Counselling team with specialist knowledge of family violence, relationships, sexual assault and gender-based violence.
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On 1 September, the Disability Services Team took up the global ice bucket challenge to raise money and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease, a degenerative neurological condition that impacts all the motor nerves in the body, usually leading to death within three years of diagnosis. It's a cause close to our heart - our disability services team often works with clients with the incurable disease and see first hand the impact it has on victims and their families.
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48 Webb Street
Boonwurrung Country
Narre Warren, VIC 3805
Phone: 1300 946 337
Fax: (03) 9796 7650
Email: info@windermere.org.au
Windermere is committed to equity, inclusion and belonging for consumers and employees, by building diverse and inclusive services and work environments, where all peoples from Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander, Culturally & Linguistically Diverse, LGBTIQ+ Communities and those living with disability will know and feel accepted, affirmed, safe and celebrated. Windermere is delivering this through the continued development and implementation of our Welcoming and Inclusion Strategy 2021-2024.
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