NCJ Number
213284
Date Published
September 2005
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This bulletin, the fourth in a series on the findings of Australia's nationwide Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP), provides an overview of the 2003-04 data on female clients in the process of escaping domestic violence while taking their children with them.
Abstract
Of the 32,700 female SAAP clients escaping domestic violence, 24 percent were Indigenous Australians, 57 percent were other Australian-born clients, 15 percent were born in predominantly non-English-speaking countries, and 4 percent were born in predominantly English-speaking countries. Indigenous women were significantly overrepresented in the SAAP female domestic violence group. Indigenous women escaping domestic violence were more likely to have four or more accompanying children than women from other cultural groups; whereas, women born in predominantly non-English-speaking countries were more likely to have only one accompanying child. In addition to providing data on the characteristics of the SAAP women escaping domestic violence, this report also provides data on the referral source that brought the women to a SAAP agency, the length of SAAP support and accommodation, and the services provided. The services available included housing or accommodation, financial and employment services, counseling, general support or advocacy, and specialist services. Data on circumstances before and after SAAP support pertain to employment status, income source, type of accommodation, living situation, legal processes, and support plans. Data are also provided on services provided to the women's children.