Joan's Place Women's Refuge©
Contents
What does Women's Refuge Mean?
Domestic violence is any abusive behaviour used by one partner in a relationship to gain and maintain power and control over another person's life.
Physical
Verbal
Emotional
Sexual
Financial
Social and Spiritual abuse are forms of Domestic Violence.
HOW DOES IT AFFECT WOMEN?
There are many different effects on women;
A constant fear and anxiety, feeling "walking on egg shells"
Feeling isolated and alone,
Thinking that it is their fault,
Suffering physical injuries
Feeling useless, losing belief in yourself.
HOW DOES IT AFFECT CHILDREN?
Children, even small babies are affected by Domestic Violence. They experience;
Fear
Believing that they are the cause
Poor concentration at school
Perfect behaviour
Reluctance to go to school
Being aggressive or being withdrawn
What does Women's Refuge Mean?
Women's Refuge means a safe short-term crises accommodation for women and their children who are escaping Domestic Violence.
Their main objectives are
To prevent further violence and abuse to women and their children
To assist them to rebuilt their lives
Joan's Place Women's Refuge began operating in August 1994 in the Western Region of Melbourne, Victoria.
We got our name after the former Victoria premiere Joan Kirner.
Coordinator
Provides leadership to the staff and facilitate change management within the service
Coordinates the development, implementation and monitoring of strategic organizational plans
Coordinates the efficient implementation of direct service provision and
financial management of the organization
Generalist workers
Joan's Place has 3 part time positions (30hrs pw) . One of them shared by 2 workers (15-hrs pw each).
Provide information, resources, referrals and support to service users
Work with residents to plan their stay and their exit
Contribute to the preparation and maintenance of the house as a welcoming place
Liaise with other services to ensure good outcomes for service users
Children support worker
There is one part time (30hrs pw) position as a children support worker at Joan's Place.
Acts as an advocate for children in the refuge
Provides primary support for children, assisting their understanding of Domestic Violence and
and understanding the impact of the family crises/trauma on their lives
To work with and educate mothers about parenting issues
Relief Workers
Relief workers replace Generalist workers if they need to attend training and meetings or
When they are on leave for a short time.
Last Revised
: 26/03/2002