Getting help to leave

Safety planning

A safety plan is a personalised and practical plan to help keep you safe if you are experiencing domestic violence. You can make a safety plan can be made with the help of family and friends or a support service. The plan can set out strategies, such as having a friend as a contact person if you ever feel unsafe at home. Every plan is different because everyone’s circumstances and needs are different.

It is important that you keep your plan in a safe place, where no one else will see it. You can share your plan with your family or friends or other support person if you want to. You will need to share your plan with anyone that you are going to reach out to when you are unsafe.

If your circumstances change, you should update your safety plan.

For more information or help with safety planning, see Safety planning on the 1800RESPECT website.

Safety apps

Safety apps are tools that help support survivors of domestic violence. There are different types of apps that do different things, including:

• helping victims to learn more about domestic violence
• alerting nominated family members or friends when a victim feels unsafe
• documenting abuse for evidence. 

Before you download a safety app, you should make sure the person committing the domestic violence cannot access your device(s). If they become aware that you are seeking help, their behaviour may get worse.

Apprehended Violence Orders

An Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (AVO) is a court order that protects a person from violence committed by someone that they are, or were, in a domestic relationship with, such as a spouse, parenting, child, or extended family member

An AVO can protect a person from:

• violence, or threats of violence
• stalking
• intimidation
• harassment
• property damage or threatened property damage
• harm to their animals.

If you are unsafe or are experiencing any kind of domestic violence, you should call the police. If the police have fears for your safety, they can apply for an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) to protect you. If the police won’t apply for an AVO, you may be able to make a private application.

For more information, see Apprehended Violence Orders.

Family and domestic violence leave

You are entitled to 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave each year to deal with the impact of family and domestic violence. All employees are entitled to this leave, regardless of whether they are full-time, part-time or casual employees. It is a paid minimum leave entitlement, like annual leave or sick leave.

You may need to take this leave if you are:

• arranging for your safety or the safety of a close relative, including moving house
• attending court
• accessing police services.

For more information, see Leave.

Financial support

Centrelink

You may be able to get a Centrelink Crisis Payment if you’ve experienced a family or domestic violence incident.

For more information, see Crisis Payment for Extreme Circumstances Family and Domestic Violence on the Services Australia website.

Financial counselling

A specialist domestic violence financial counsellor can help you deal with debt, financial hardship, Centrelink and managing your money.

For more information, see Find a Financial Counsellor on the National Debt Helpline website.

If you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, you can call the Mob Strong Debt Help to speak to a First Nations financial counsellor.

For more information, see Mob Strong Debt Help on the Financial Rights Legal Centre website.

Victims Support Scheme

If you are the victim of crime, you may be entitled to support under the Victims Support Scheme. The Scheme provides counselling, financial support and a recognition payment to victims of a violent crime in NSW.

You may be able to get help even if no one was charged or convicted.

For more information, see Victims of crime.

Accommodation and housing

The Domestic Violence Service Management is a service in inner Sydney that provides outreach support and personalised case management support for women (and their children) who are experiencing domestic and family violence or homelessness, or who at risk of homelessness.

For more information, see the Domestic Violence Service Management website.

Caring for your pets

The RSPCA's Community Domestic Violence Program offers secure emergency accommodation for pets whose owners are leaving situations of domestic violence.

If you need someone to care for your pet while you find a new home, the RSPCA may be able to safely house and cares for your pets. This will provide you with time to find a suitable home for you and your pets and avoid you having to leave them behind.

For more information, see Community Domestic Violence Program on the RSPCA website.

Online safety

Online abuse is a type of domestic violence that involves using technology to harass, monitor, stalk, impersonate or threaten a person. It is an insidious type of abuse that can occur both during and after a relationship. It can include:

• sending abusive or threatening text messages or phone calls
• making fake social media accounts and harmful posts about a person
• accessing someone’s online accounts without their permission
• sharing or threatening to share intimate images of a person without your consent
• tracking a person through their phone or other digital devices.

If you are planning on leaving your relationship because of domestic violence, it is important that take steps to ensure your safety online.

For more information, see Online safety.