SWAN Hill family violence unit and Mallee Domestic Violence Services (MDVS) have been awarded for their work to protect and make a difference to the lives of locals experiencing family violence.
The Making a Difference Award from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was presented by MDVS’ committee of management in Swan Hill on Monday.
Issued to MDVS Mallee Sexual Assault Unit and the Swan Hill family violence unit, as part of the Child Protection Awards 2019, presenter Dennis McLaughlan said the award was in recognition of their “exceptional contribution” to some of the most vulnerable members of the community.
MDVS and the Swan Hill family violence unit have been working in partnership for just over 12 months and said the collaboration was proving effective in ensuring protection for domestic violence victims in the region.
While the two organisations have had an unofficial partnership for years, the roll out of the Victoria Police family violence units across the state last year formally recognised the need for collaboration between the agencies to effectively support victims of family violence.
Officer in charge of the Swan Hill family violence investigation unit Detective Sergeant Mal Simpson was the first member to start out in the unit back in August.
“We work closely with Mallee Domestic Violence Services and DHHS on child protection on a daily basis,” he said.
Det-Sgt Simpson said the family violence unit worked with MDVS to review the domestic violence incidents attended by local officers, with his unit taking charge of the more serious ones.
“We discuss all the family violence incidents and triage them, if we need to take action we will,” he said.
“Victoria Police family violence command have rolled out hundreds of positions across the state and we’re probably one of the smallest units, but we’re quite proud of our achievements to date.”
Since the start of the unit, Det-Sgt Simpson said things “certainly haven’t slowed down”.
“Per capita, we have some of the largest numbers of family violence incidents in the state across the Swan Hill, Gannawarra and Buloke shire areas,” he said.
“It is something we hope to be able to reduce through our partnership.”
MDVS chief executive officer Joanne Sheehan-Paterson told The Guardian the organisation was proud to receive the recognition of the work carried out under the partnership.
“The Making a Difference Award was about Mallee Domestic Violence Services staff working with the Victoria Police family violence unit and was in recognition of their exceptional contribution to the lives of children, young people and families,” Ms Sheehan-Paterson said.
“We’re very proud as an organisation of the team and of our partners at Victoria Police and the work they do to make an improved life for people who are fleeing family violence.”
Ms Sheehan-Paterson said there was a “constant and constantly increasing” demand for the service.
“The staff deal with clients in crisis, everyday, and the demand across the Mallee is ever increasing and we certainly provide a whole range of services,” she said.
“It might be that someone comes to us in crisis and in need of refuge accommodation, or it might be that they need to flee the area, whatever they need we can help make it happen.
“We can assist people with housing to relocate, we have flexible funding support packages, that can assist families who are victims of family violence with a whole range of things and that might be school fees or camps, white goods, things that can be life-changing for families to have access to.”
