![Margaret Augerinos is the CEO of the Centre for Non-Violence. Picture by Noni Hyett Margaret Augerinos is the CEO of the Centre for Non-Violence. Picture by Noni Hyett](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/212676544/81eae189-0aa3-4d0c-9464-a7d87c5dc00c.jpg/r0_0_5568_3712_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Bendigo's Centre for Non-Violence (CNV) is overwhelmed with a more than 700 per cent increase in the number of people using its services over the past decade.
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"(We would have got) maybe 600 call outs a year, now we are pushing 5000 in this region so that alone tells a story," CNV chief executive officer Margaret Augerinos said.
She said there were multiple reasons intertwined with CNV being "stretched beyond capacity" with the lack of housing and crisis accommodation being close to the top of the list.
Police being called out to more incidents
While Ms Augerinos said it was great whenever a victim picked up the phone to contact CNV, the sheer volume of people affected was putting a strain on the service.
"I think if you look at police crime statistics data that tells a story and one of the things that we know is that police are being called out more and more frequently to attend family violence incidents," she said.
"Every police attendance (for family violence) gets referred through to our service and at the moment the Orange Door does that initial response to people who have called police for assistance."
CNV is a not-for-profit organisation providing a range of services to address and prevent family violence and homelessness.
The service helps victims of family violence find housing and also helps run a men's behaviour change program for perpetrators.
However, as the rental market continues to shrink, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get women and children into safe housing.
"It is near impossible to find housing options for many of the people who need support in our community," she said.
"There is not enough crisis housing responses, there is not enough transitional housing, there is not enough private rentals that are affordable and there is a shortage of rental properties as well."
There has been investment but demand soars
Ms Augerinos said there had been increases in investment from the state and federal governments over the years.
She said during this investment, the Orange Door was created which acts as a first responder service and then refers clients to organisations like CNV.
But coupled with these strides forwards in investment, there has been a mammoth increase in people in the region reaching out for assistance.
"Demand is huge," she said.
"We have a really good service system through the Orange Door, through services like CNV, through the other support services that work with victim survivors.
"But we are all struggling with capacity and being unable to meet all of the demand."
What is needed
Ms Augerinos said it was vital to have a long conversation with the state government about securing a stable funding model to begin to address the demand for services like CNV.
She said for CNV to be able to make any meaningful impact for victim survivors, there needed to be consistent investment.
Secure funding models would allow CNV to give its workers job security and continue to give its clients access to programs and accommodation.
"We need to invest for as long as possible until we make that dent and it is a long haul," she said.
"We require long term, secure funding that gives us certainty about our service model and the funding that we have available.
"There are a lot of programs that are funded year in, year out and we can't give job security to people."
Ms Augerinos said its workers were doing amazing work under trying conditions and helping as many people as they could.
For help, contact:
- If someone is in immediate danger, call 000.
- The Orange Door 1800 512 359
- Safe Steps 24-hour crisis line on 1800 015 188
- Centre for Non-violence FREE CALL: 1800 884 292
- CASA Centre Against Sexual Assault crisis line 1800 806 292
- Lifeline, 13 11 14
- 1800 RESPECT, 1800 737 732
- BeyondBlue, 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au
- Headspace Bendigo, 5406 1400 headspace.org.au/
- Kids Helpline, 1800 55 1800, kidshelpline.com.au/
- ACCCE, 1800 333 000, accce.gov.au/
- Esafety, esafety.gov.au/
- Men's Referral service - 1300 766 491