Hi Fresh Friends!

I’ve decided to take steps4change through safe steps Family Violence Response Centre. 

Domestic and family violence involves abusive and violent behaviour towards a partner, former partner or family member. It extends beyond physical violence, and can involve actions that control, humiliate or scare the other person or people in the household.

1 in 6 women have experienced physical or sexual violence before the age of 15

1 in 6 women have experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner;

75% of victims of domestic violence reported the perpetrator as male

However, domestic violence doesn't stop at physical and sexual violence; there are, unfortunately, many more types of violence. The below study published in 2020 by the Australian Institute of Criminology showed that the conditions and consequences associated with the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to an increase in domestic violence. This is still the case in 2022! Enough is enough! If we can’t control perpetrators actions, we need to boost the things we can control and that is empowering women with accessible ways to seek safety and support. So, that’s why I’ve created this page to support Safe Steps in their efforts.

Safe Steps is doing incredible work to help empower women, young people and children experiencing family violence and secure their safety by providing:

- 24/7 family violence response phone line

- Risk assessments

- Safety planning

- Emotional and material support

- Advocacy

- Information and referrals

As well as, trauma informed counselling and so much more!

If you’d like to learn more about their organisation you can visit their website here: https://www.safesteps.org.au/

This campaign will be open for the entire month of March and you can get involved in 2 ways:

1. Donate directly through this page

2. Purchase an item from our Empowered Women Collection and a portion of the proceeds from your sale will be donated here. Portions are as followed:

- $10 from every Feeling Empowered Self-Care Bundle sold

- $5 from every Feeling Empowered Weighted Eye Mask sold

- $5 from every Empowered Women T-shirt sold

- $2 from every Scrunchie sold

- $2 from every Happy Heart Wellness Tea sold

These will be manually uploaded once the sales go through and I will be quoting your order number. 

Some information on how your donations can help empower women, young people and children:

- $35 can help provide a crisis care package for a mum and children in temporary emergency accommodation.

- $50 can help provide gift cards for families in crisis accommodation.

- $75 can help provide essential specialist support for a women planning to leave a violent relationship.

- $100 can help provide secure, temporary housing for pets in crisis when women and children are escaping family violence.

- $125 can help provide several nights in safe and appropriate emergency accommodation for a woman and her children.

- $350 can help cover relocation costs for a mother and children moving house due to family violence.

Every little bit counts, so even if you can’t donate large sums, doing smaller things like skipping your daily coffee to donate here or sharing this campaign around will mean the world! Donations made through this platform are secure and will be remitted directly through to Safe Steps.

Thanks so much for your support!

The Australian Institute of Criminology Study; The Prevalence of Domestic Violence Among Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic; https://www.aic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-07/sb28_prevalence_of_domestic_violence_among_women_during_covid-19_pandemic.pdf