Community Recognition Statement: Domestic Violence Support Services

I would like to live in a world in which domestic violence does not exist. In Wagga Wagga there are estimated to be more than 25 domestic violence incidents reported to police each week, with numbers during the past financial year being almost double the New South Wales average. Until attitudes change and we prevent this scourge, we rely on services to support the victims of domestic violence. I pay tribute to two not-for-profit groups—Tumut Regional Family Services and Wagga Women's Health Centre—which are supporting women and families crippled by domestic violence in my electorate. These are groups of dedicated women working on the front lines and dealing with, quite frankly, some pretty ordinary stuff. I pay tribute to the generosity, compassion and skill of these dedicated women, who through funded programs are able to provide trauma counselling, crisis support, clean facilities, pregnancy counselling, life skills lessons and many other services. We need more community champions like these women to take up the task of eliminating domestic violence.