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Family violence is an experience that can have long lasting impacts on victim survivors and can change the way they view their self-worth, relationships and how they trust others and make decisions across all aspects of their lives.

A person who uses violence may make victims feel that they cannot leave the relationship, cannot leave their home, or cannot protect themselves and their children. On many occasions, a person who uses violence may threaten victim survivors and install in them the belief that if they do leave their life will be made impossible. People who use violence often use emotional, verbal, physical and sexual abuse to control others, which can make them fear for their lives. This use of violence can leave victims feeling worthless and powerless and can have devastating effects on their emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.

Refuge Victoria is a specialist family violence service. As an organisation we understand the courage and energy it takes to leave a relationship, and the home, where family violence underpins every aspect of day-to-day life. And importantly, we have key specialist staff who understand the need for safety and can provide the services and support that victim survivors require when they do leave.

It can be really terrifying to leave, whether it is the fear of uprooting children from the family home, fear of losing precious belongings, fear of not having a safe place to sleep, fear of shame or judgment, fear of financial hardship, fear of losing your home, fear of going to an unknown place or fear of being even more unsafe after leaving. Refuge Victoria understands these fears. Our specialist team is here to help victim survivors recover and look ahead to a life without family violence.