Safe Woman Safe Family set to launch in the Peel region

That’s the question which Tanya Langford wants Peel to ask itself. 

One of the two women behind Australia’s first Safe Woman Safe Family program, Ms Langford wants to help put an end the cyclical nature of domestic violence. 

“Domestic violence is not going away,” she said. 

“For all the money which the government is pumping into it, one woman a week is still murdered from domestic violence.

“Every two minutes police receive a call reporting a family and domestic assault. 

“Yes we need refuges and yes we need counseling… but what’s really important is recognising what this woman is like. 

“This woman is in a state of such low self-esteem.

“And yes she might manage to get rid of this guy but she’s still not OK.”

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Safe Woman Safe Family originally started in New Zealand, with the aim of offering assistance and support to women who have been impacted by family and domestic violence, through a holistic approach.  

As a family support worker, Ms Langford is no stranger to this field of work. While her business partner, Irene Lydon works in child protection. 

“Irene works at the pointy end, where she has to go in and remove children, who are being abused and neglected, and where the woman can’t get out of domestic violence so she can’t keep her children safe,” Ms Langford said. 

“That’s not a safe woman; she’s so damaged. 

“I’m on the other side of the fence doing family support. 

“Working in youth violence, most of the mums I’ve been working with have come from domestic violence and they’ve never recovered, they’ve never healed, they’ve never strengthened and now they’re being bashed up by their kids.”

Ms Langford said these women are often on Centrelink benefits and reside in the lower socio-economic bracket, struggling from one week to the next. In some cases, they’re homeless.

“We don’t have anything in the Peel region… for women who are in this realm,” she said.  

“Women who need professionals there but also people who understand. 

“What we want to do is help them get through the trauma and then start developing their self-esteem, building up their self-worth and helping them develop healthy boundaries.”

Safe Woman Safe Family is set to officially launch into the social services sphere on Friday with a information forum. 

The official program is set to begin in the coming months. 

For more information go to safewomansafefamilywa.com