A world-first purpose-built Women's Trauma Centre has been promised the $25m needed to get it off the ground in the Illawarra.
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The budget, delivered by federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, included a commitment to the one-stop shop for legal, physical, psychological and housing support for women and children fleeing unsafe homes.
The Illawarra Women's Trauma Recovery Centre has been advocated by Illawarra Women's Health Centre CEO Sally Stevenson for a number of years and her campaign has been supported by the Illawarra Mercury.
The government's commitment is a promise, dependent on the Liberals being re-elected in the up coming Federal Election, but takes the cause a huge step forward.
The Greens committed $28.5m for the centre earlier this month. The Illawarra Mercury approached Liberal, Labor and National Party representatives for their position on the initiative, but no comments were made.
The trauma centre would be the first of its kind in Australia and the world and Ms Stevenson hopes it becomes a blueprint for centres across the world.
In the same way cancer clinics ease the burden of illness and recovery, an Illawarra Women's Trauma Recovery Centre would ease the long-term health impacts of violence.
Shellharbour surgeon Dr Mario Malkoun said the medical community hasn't really grasped the consequences of domestic violence-related trauma."The ongoing effects on an individual's health are broad and long lasting," he said. "There's no doubt someone's mental health affects every facet of their life."
Ms Stevenson and Dr Williams have meticulously planned what the centre would look like. They've developed a business plan and delivered it to the NSW Government in July. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office came to meet with them earlier in the year and a plan was submitted to the Federal Government.
More to follow
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