The CEO of Women’s Legal Service Tasmania, Yvette Cehtel today called on the Commonwealth Government to reinstate funding to the WESNET program which supplies phones to women escaping family violence. This money runs out on 30 June 2020.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, access to phones are vital to secure the safety of women and children stuck at home with their partner if he chooses to use violence.

Access to phones and technology have become more important than ever, to ensure that women can remain connected in their community.

Additionally, Ms Cehtel suggested that Australia could follow France and offer vacant accommodation, now available during this down turn to women and children removing themselves from the family home where violence is a feature.

Given the need for all of us to be minimising in person contact amid the current pandemic, it is important that we acknowledge and respond this will force some families together, where part of the active safety planning women have in place is to limit contact.