Kate knew she was in trouble when Mike threatened her with his fist. The children had been crying and he was frustrated and on edge. His violent behavior had been escalating since Kate’s last pregnancy. The pandemic had been hard on their marriage — the loss of income, fewer community supports and being stuck at home all the time was beyond stressful — and it was almost impossible for her to be alone to reach out for help. Add to that two small children and their home was a powder keg waiting to blow.
Kate was afraid, exhausted, and didn’t know where to get help. A friend reached out to Cridge Transition House for Women, wondering what kind of support they might have for Kate. They quickly set up a phone call for Kate with Nicole, our Young Parent Outreach worker.
Nicole was able to assess Kate’s situation and recommend that Kate and her children find alternative housing.
Nicole was able to assess Kate’s situation and recommend that Kate and her children find alternative housing. The challenge was to find a place that would be able to support Kate and her children. Nicole has a long-standing relationship with a local housing provider and they were able to offer a space. Within a month from the initial phone call, Kate was safely housed and beginning to consider how her life could look differently than being in an abusive relationship. Nicole has continued to support Kate, working in partnership with other support workers, to make sure that Kate has access to community resources, has support in parenting and is mentored in her choices regarding school, employment and childcare.
Your support of our Preventing Homelessness appeal is what has made the difference between Kate being unsafe and at risk of homelessness, and Kate living in safety with her children and looking forward to a healthy and safe future. Your support has touched the lives of so many people, just like Kate. Thank you for helping us to prevent homelessness in Victoria.