- Featured
COVID-19 has resulted in domestic violence soaring in Australia.
A survey from the Australian Institute of Criminology found that 5.8 per cent of women experienced coercive control, and 11.6 per cent experienced emotionally abusive, harassing or controlling behaviour during the pandemic. The pandemic has caused some women to experience domestic violence for the first time.
Job limitations, unemployment, lockdowns and restrictions, as well as the stress of a global health crisis, has seen the worst year of domestic violence incidences on record.
The severity of the incidences has also escalated due to pandemic restrictions. People under stress can be in lockdown for long periods, unable to get out and release tension or talk to someone. Alcohol, used as a coping mechanism, can worsen the emotional toll and result in a domestic assault.
Women and children are fleeing violent situations in record numbers, often with no relatives or friends to help.
Banks have a clear role in financial abuse cases and can help victims get control of their finances, but we believe we can do more. That’s why we’re partnering with organisations like Toora Women Inc, which are stepping up to support women and children in crisis.
Toora Women are a not-for-profit organisation delivering services to women in the ACT. They offer a wide range of specialist services to women who have experienced past or present traumas.
Toora provides homelessness, domestic violence and alcohol/drug health treatment services to more than 460 women and children each year. Annually, they house roughly 300 women and 100 children.
Recently Toora added another two houses to their accommodation program to support women and their children fleeing domestic violence. One of the houses has been set up expressly for women with disabilities.
As a customer-owned organisation, we aim to go beyond providing financial products and services and truly make a difference for Australians. We’re looking for genuine impact and lasting change, so we’ve provided Toora with a grant to help turn their new houses into homes.
We believe that by working in partnerships with frontline organisations, we can play our part to deliver the best possible outcomes directly to people who need help. Our dedicated community development team assists not-for-profits and a range of different causes to help vulnerable Australians.
We understand that eradicating domestic violence is no small undertaking, but we believe it is a worthy goal. By banking with us, you can feel good that a percentage of our profit goes directly towards helping those in need in our communities.