Help mums and babies escape violence

Pregnancy is one of the most dangerous times for women experiencing family violence.

With the help of our generous supporters, like you, Berry Street can provide more critical services like The Village - a safe place for mums and babies fleeing family violence where they can access specialist support.

When Beth* told her partner that they were going to be parents, he didn’t respond with a loving hug. Instead, his response was full of anger and led to the inevitable violence Beth had come to expect.

Beth was in the most distressing position you could imagine. In an abusive and violent relationship, expecting her first child. Isolated from her support network, she felt desperately alone.

She had no friends or family to turn to – no support network around her. The most dangerous time for a woman escaping family violence is when she decides to leave. Beth was frozen, she didn’t know where she could go or what could she do to protect herself and her unborn baby.

In Australia, 1 in 4 women experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner** and many instances of violence go unreported, so the problem is likely to be greater than we know.

But today, you could break this devastating cycle by funding more services like The Village – where mums can live free of danger and children are set up for a bright future.

At The Village, there is safe, comfortable accommodation for mothers and their infants – with a whole ‘family’ of specialists and mentors onsite. Beth had all the support she needed for parenthood.

There were parenting and independent living classes, so Beth learned how to build a healthy sleeping routine for her baby. She developed vital skills for the future, like managing a household budget and learning how to prepare healthy meals. And with specialist counsellors and psychologists, Beth began to slowly recover from her trauma.

With your gift, you can help more mums and babies escape family violence.

*Name has been changed in the interest of privacy. The models and volunteers pictured are not connected to the case study.

** Department of Social Services: National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children (2019)