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TASC awarded $149,967 to help combat domestic violence

MEDIA RELEASE 6 July, 2023

TASC awarded $149,967 to help combat domestic violence on Western Downs

The Western Downs will be the focus for a new pilot project aimed at breaking the cycle of domestic violence.

TASC National, a legal and social justice centre which offers legal and advocacy services across southwest Queensland has been awarded $149,967 from the QLD Government to design, develop and implement the innovative program.

TASC CEO, Frances Klaassen OAM said they will initially work with mothers.

“The statistics around intimate partner violence are alarming,” she said.

“Nationally, more than one in three women over 18 have been subjected to violence or abuse in their relationships during their lifetime.”

A woman’s childbearing period has been identified as high-risk for domestic violence, with 22% of women who are pregnant being subjected to intimate partner violence.

“Of these women, for a quarter of them the first time they encounter violence in the relationship is during pregnancy,” Ms Klaassen said.

“What we’ve seen and what the research shows is that violence during and after pregnancy is not only an appalling denial of human rights, it also has a lasting, damaging impact across the entire community.”

TASC aims to break this cycle through an intervention and educational approach based on research showing the impact violence has on parent-child attachment and how that negatively affects children throughout their lives.

Fractured attachments impact the way children grow up to see themselves and the world around them. Unfortunately, it carries into adolescence, impacting their early partner relationships, resulting in adults who may repeat the patterns they grew up with.

The pilot program will focus on increasing the agency of women who are of childbearing age.

“Society in general has tended to devalue the impact and work of mothers and caregivers, which in turn leads to increased vulnerability for those women when it comes to gender based violence,” Ms Klaassen said.

“We will combat this by increasing the agency and connectedness of women through group work, community connection and demonstrating the importance and impact of the mother – child relationship across a person’s life.”

This is a new approach to domestic violence and program design is still underway, with rollout expected in early 2024.

“Our goal is to work with women, families and communities to help heal some of the trauma behind the violence and bring lasting change. While the initial focus will be on women and their supports, we will also build an education program for men we hope to roll out in the area.”

While this will be preventative program, through their existing legal and social justice connections TASC is also able to refer women currently experiencing violence to legal and support services.

TASC joins the OPAN (Older Persons Advocacy Network) calling for supported decision-making to be embedded across aged care

As people age, the autonomy and independence they enjoyed earlier in their lives is often denied by the negative, ageist attitudes of those who believe older women and men are unable to make their own decisions, or disregard those choices when they do. It prevents older people from making important decisions about their finances, employment, living arrangements, family life and participation in community life. This situation has been detected throughout societies – from governments and local authorities, to local leaders and family members

Everyone should have the opportunity to make decisions about the care and services they receive and the risks they are willing to take.– especially our senior populations. While aging can sometimes make independent living difficult, small supports, such as home wellness solutions and home-delivered meals, can help seniors maintain independence in their own homes.

Loss of independence can be discouraging to older adults. They have spent their entire lives living independently, working jobs, raising families, and making decisions. The natural effects of aging can sometimes make independent living harder than it once was. Difficulties with mobility, behavioural health conditions such as isolation and loneliness, and financial strains are just some of the contributors to a loss of independence in aging adults.

While we cannot avoid some barriers to independence, we can take the time to understand the importance of independence in seniors and look for ways to increase opportunities for independent living. Some of the benefits of older people making decisions about the care and services they receive and the risks they are willing to take are: feeling like an individual, maintaining balance and strength, it gives them sense of purpose, it aids with memory skill, it gives them sense of control and it helps them to develop positive relationships.

If you or somebody you know is experiencing elder abuse, and live in or around Toowoomba our Seniors Legal and Support Service (SLASS) may be able to help you with you with free legal advice and information or referrals or other services near you. Call 07 4616 9700 or go to HERE to find out more.

Come talk with TASC this Senior’s Month

This month is Seniors Month. TASC helps seniors with legal and advocacy services and will be attending both the Ipswich and Toowoomba Senior’s Expos again this year. We’d love it if you stop by for a chat!

TASC announced as Redress Scheme Support Service

TASC National, a community legal, advocacy and social justice organisation which services Toowoomba, the Darling Downs and Maranoa has been announced as the Redress Support Service for people in the region seeking support to engage with the National Redress Scheme (the Scheme).

Redress Support Services offer free, confidential, practical and emotional support to people applying, or considering applying to the Scheme.

The Scheme is in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which estimated over 60,000 people in Australia have experienced such abuse.

TASC CEO, Frances Klaassen OAM said while the Scheme began on 1 July 2018, the recent announcement of TASC as a support service means engaging with the Scheme is now more accessible to the local community.

“The National Redress Scheme is an important step in gaining recognition, acknowledgement, support and healing for people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse and in holding institutions accountable,” she said.

The Scheme can provide access to counselling, a Redress payment, and the option to receive a direct personal response, such as an apology, from the responsible institution.

Delving into deeply personal and emotionally sensitive issues can be confronting. TASC understands this and has a focus on meeting each individual applicant’s need around how they can be best supported through their application process.

“Through our work in the community we understand accessing schemes like Redress is often difficult both from an emotional perspective as well as having to navigate complex systems,” she said.

“Using a person-centred approach for clients engaging with the Redress Scheme, our case workers will be there to provide support, information and advice based on a person’s circumstances so they’re able to make informed choices about which areas of Redress to pursue.”

“Clients can also choose whether to pause or progress their application at any stage,” she said.

Ms Klaassen said the scope of institutional child sexual abuse uncovered by the Royal Commission means people engaging with the Scheme will come from a wide cross section of the community.

“If you believe you’re eligible or know someone who might be eligible for redress but are unsure I would encourage you to talk with us or to visit our website to find out more information.”

For more information about the Scheme, eligibility and support services visit tascnational.org.au/redress or nationalredress.gov.au .

TASC – Justice Street Reach Program Expands in Toowoomba

TASC Legal and Social Justice Services are proud to announce Eraj Adhikari (TASC Social Justice Advocate ) and Will Delaport (TASC Solicitor) will now be expanding the TASC- Justice Street Reach program to the Toowoomba Housing Hub every Thursday for appointments and drop-ins.

This program is designed to provide social and legal support for people experiencing homelessness (or are in a challenging situation that they are unable to address without assistance).

For enquiries, please contact the Justice Street Reach program on 0429 851 639 or contact TASC Legal and Social Justice Services on 07 4616 9700 and ask to be put through to Eraj or Will from the Justice Street Reach program.

Don’t forget you can also reach TASC at the Toowoomba Housing Hub every 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.