The Illawarra recorded 1,120 domestic violence assaults in the year to September 2025, as specialist services across NSW warn women and children are being left waiting for help, with average delays of up to two months reported for people seeking domestic and family violence support.
Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW), the peak body for specialist DFV services, says the crisis is escalating and is calling on the NSW Government to deliver a 50 per cent increase to core funding, warning that services are being forced to turn people away.
Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre CEO Ellise Phillips backs the call, saying the region’s latest figures released by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR) show just how urgent the situation has become.
“The numbers point to the scale of harm in our community, and the long road to recovery that follows,” Ms Phillips said.
“Trauma recovery support is essential, and we’re proud to deliver that in the Illawarra, but the system breaks down if crisis services don’t have the resources to keep women safe in the first place.
“Core funding must increase so frontline services can meet demand and women aren’t left without options.”
DVNSW CEO Delia Donovan said the delays are placing lives at risk.
“In early 2025, our members reported average wait times of up to two months for people seeking support. This is essential work and for some women and children, it’s the difference between life and death.
“Imagine the public outcry if there were a two-month wait to be treated in an Emergency Department. Where is that same urgency when women and children are trying to access safety?” Ms Donovan said.
DVNSW has warned many services are being held together by unpaid overtime, fundraising, and staff covering basic costs out of their own pockets, a situation it says is not sustainable.
“For more than five years, we have consistently called for a 50 per cent increase to baseline funding so frontline services can meet demand, retain skilled workers, and provide safety and healing to those in crisis,” Ms Donovan said.
Ms Phillips said the Illawarra’s domestic, family and sexual violence frontline services are doing everything possible, but demand is outstripping capacity.
“You can’t ask specialist services to meet rising demand with the same resources year after year as costs increase. If we’re serious about safety and recovery for women and children, we have to fund the services that make that possible.”
The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre is a place for women to heal and rebuild their lives if they have or are experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence.
Our range of services supports women in living secure and independent lives.