Emerge Stories

There is no doubt that the start of 2020 has been tragic: nine women killed so far including the violent murders of Hannah Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey in Queensland; the bushfires which have left many homeless; and now the coronavirus. Against this backdrop, we recently celebrated International Women’s Day. This year the theme is Generation Equality, a call to action to join forces across generations, to create a world where every girl and woman ...

Designing healing spaces for women and children

When Zara* was about to evicted from her new home, she was at her wits’ end. One of her children had been put in hospital due to serious illness. As a casual employee, she was unable to work, and therefore be paid, as she juggled between looking after her other school-aged child and being at the hospital. Fortuitously Zara was linked to Emerge’s outreach services and told her case worker about her plight. “She had been told that if she did ...

Emerge has called for raft of measures to be introduced as part of its submission to the Victorian Government’s homelessness inquiry. It has set out seven priorities ranging from a public education campaign about homelessness and family violence to explain the link through to calling for an improved Safe at Home strategy so that women and children’s right to stay at home after family violence is viewed as the norm. Paula Westhead, Emerge ...

Carol Quayle is getting used to walking. She spends time walking in local parks and streets alongside women who are being assisted by Emerge. It is a good way for her to connect with women who need a listening ear. Carol has been volunteering for Emerge since early 2019 although she has supported the organisation for the past nine years as a member of the Mordialloc Rotary Club. “I was looking for something useful to do in a more practical ...

In a few weeks Emerge will once again take part in the annual Walk Against Family Violence on Monday 25 November at noon from Federation Square. Emerge was at the forefront of the first Walk Against Family Violence, held in 2008. Together with other family violence services, local councils and Victoria Police, the aim was to raise awareness to help break the silence on family violence. Today the silence has been broken but it remains necessary ...

New Board Chair for Emerge We welcome Nicki Batagol, the new Chair of Emerge Women and Children’s Support Network, who will lead the Emerge Board that is made up of skilled and committed women. Nicki is a management consultant specialising in change management. She has worked in Australia and London leading global organisations through workforce transformation programs. Currently the Chair of PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia) ...

Imagine Christmas celebrations without presents, food or entertainment? We couldn’t which is why we are calling for donations to support a festive party for all the women and children who use our services. “Christmas and end of year celebrations for many families who have escaped violence is an upsetting time regardless of the background you have come from. What we try to do is bring some cheer into their lives,” Jessica Woller, ...

The Emerge 24/7 refuge is close to opening, and one of the final touches is the creation of a play space for children of all ages, from young tots to teenagers. The playground will be a central hub for the families staying in the refuge, as well as families who come to Emerge for arts therapy and outreach services. Emerge is looking for donations to purchase a sandpit and toys, a basketball hoop, as well as benches where mums can sit and chat ...

Experiencing family violence is a frightening and intensely lonely experience, rarely discussed with friends and often bottled up for many years. This July, Emerge began its Women’s Counselling Service thanks to a student placement through Swinburne University, to support women with these experiences. Jane P, who oversees the program at Emerge, said: “We have had a long history of providing individual counselling to women in refuge. We saw ...