Emerge Stories

It has been a roller coaster year where we celebrated opening our long-awaited 24/7 refuge and had to grapple with the effects of COVID-19, which has altered how we have worked with the women and children we support, and how we work as staff and volunteers. While challenging, we have been greeted with enormous opportunities to become more flexible and reach more women and children than ever.

We are looking forward to helping Marcie* and her two children move into their new home. After six months in refuge, they are ready for the next step in their journey to independence, free from violence.

But we have a problem. How can we move their belongings easily?

Today is International Women’s Day. It’s always been a big day for us at Emerge, but after last year’s turmoil of 2020, it is an especially important one giving us the chance to stand together in our work for equal rights.

Emerge is on the lookout for a court worker and volunteers to support its work at the Moorabbin Magistrates Court.

Matlda is not the usual resident you would find in a refuge.

After three years of living with Emerge, Mi* and her family’s lives have been turned around for the better. She has a new Office of Housing home and permanent residency in Australia. Her life is on the up.

Mary* sends a text. She has had a rough day and needs to talk to someone she trusts.

Getting the chance to exercise with your mum is not necessarily what every young child wants but for Lilly*, it is the best news ever.

Emerge has been overwhelmed by the generosity of its donors and supporters over the past two months.

A disturbing pattern that has been observed since late 2020 is the radical change in the severity of violence that women coming into Emerge’s refuge have experienced.

Emerge has been given the tick of approval for accreditation, meeting all required expectations with overwhelmingly positive feedback.