Women's Domestic Violence
when you want respect not abuse.
Women's Helpline - 1800 007 339 / 9223 1188 - This service offers counselling, crisis response and referrals to the Centrecare service below.
A Centrecare service for women experiencing and managing the consequences of abuse.
To download the Women's Domestic Violence brochure (4473In), click here.
Experiencing the effects of domestic violence and/or abuse may leave you feeling depressed, unhappy, guilty, alone or even wondering if you are going crazy. You may believe that you are part of the problem or think ‘that’s just how life is’ even though you don’t like what is happening to you and know you don’t deserve to be abused.Centrecare provides a safe, non-judgemental space to talk about your experience with a qualified counsellor.
Does your husband or partner:
- shout and swear at you;
- put you down, call you crazy, dumb, lazy;
- prevent you from seeing your family and friends;
- check up on you;
- slam doors, push and shove you around;
- slap you;
- blame you for their angry outbursts;
- say you cannot do anything right;
- control the money;
- scare you at times;
- threaten to hurt you and/or the children if you leave them;
- treat you like a servant;
- demand sex whether you want it or not?
If you answer "yes" to any of the above questions, then this service may be of help to you.
Centrecare provides counselling, support and group programs for women who are experiencing the effects of abuse. Services are also available for partners and children. Abuse in a relationship, also called family and domestic violence, refers to any action, verbal and/or non-verbal, that instils fear in the other person and can be displayed physically, emotionally, verbally, sexually, financially, spiritually, and culturally.
Counselling
If you decide to make an appointment, you will speak with a counsellor who will give you the opportunity to talk about the abuse and identify the impact on you and your family. This is in a safe environment where you can express your feelings, such as sadness, anger, shame, and depression.
Group Programs (Building Resilience)
You may wish to continue with one-on-one counselling or to join one of Centrecare’s group programs. These programs have allocated weekly topics that aim to help you:
- understand what constitutes abuse,
- the forms it takes and the cycle of abuse
- understand the effects of abuse on you and your children
- plan how to keep yourself and your children safe
- realise that you are not responsible for your partner’s behaviour, and
- learn about resources available to you in the community
Women feedback how reassuring it is to know they are not alone and/or responsible for the abuse they have experienced. Women have shared that over time they regain their self-respect, self-confidence and are able to start to prioritise their needs in caring for themselves.
Making contact
For more information or to make an appointment please contact Centrecare on one of the telephone numbers below. Day and evening appointments are available in most offices.
Perth (08) 9325 6644
Esperance (08) 9083 2600
Joondalup (08) 9300 7300
Kalgoorlie (08) 9080 0333
Midland (08) 9436 0600
Mirrabooka (08) 9440 0400
Bunbury (08) 9752 5177