Senator for NSW Hollie Hughes and Liberal candidate for the seat of Whitlam, Mike Cain visited the Illawarra Women's Health Centre on Tuesday, to hear about world-first concept to tackle violence against women and children.
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The Illawarra Women's Trauma Recovery Centre is an Australian-first initiative, which will respond to and support victims and survivors of sexual, domestic and family violence.
The innovative project is underpinned by research from UNSW, which worked with victim-survivors and service providers to design the operational framework, and will be a model that can be replicated and scaled-up across Australia.
Mr Cain said the issue was close to his heart.
"I witnessed some domestic violence as a child, and I can tell you it's something that doesn't go away, it's something that stays with you throughout adulthood," he said.
"I'm passionate about the fact that women and families deserve better.
"We know in Australia one in four women are abused by their partner, and we know 65 per cent of those kids witness that trauma.
"It's not just something we should feel obliged to act on, it's something we should be proud to act on.
"Whatever we can do to have more children grow up and say the buck stops with them, that is one of the most powerful things we can do."
The Morrison Government has funded the program - it will receive $5 million per year, for five years, for a total of $25 million.
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