What really goes on...
behind closed doors?

In the middle of this pandemic, family violence and controlling behaviour are on the rise.

READ REBECCA'S HEARTBREAKING STORY



No child should ever feel like a parent’s violence is their responsibility.

READ NADIA'S BRAVE STORY



You can help protect more children from domestic violence.



Every two weeks in Australia, a child dies as a direct result of abuse.*

 

Children exposed to domestic violence, as witnessed or as a victim, live in unpredictable households dominated by tension and fear. We are relying on your support to reach these vulnerable families and keep children safe.
*ABS

Every two weeks in Australia, a child dies as a direct result of abuse.*

 

Children exposed to domestic violence, as witnessed or as a victim, live in unpredictable households dominated by tension and fear. We are relying on your support to reach these vulnerable families and keep children safe.
*ABS

Rebecca’s abusive ex-husband was using COVID-19 to intimidate her and her children.

Rebecca recently separated from her husband, James, after years of constant verbal and physical abuse. She is now caring for her three young children (under eight), and since March she has been working from home.

While her hours have been cut, she knows she is lucky to still have a job. And it’s vital to her, as she receives no money from her ex who has been unemployed for over 12 months.

James is now doing everything he can to sabotage Rebecca’s job. The former couple are in the middle of a bitter child custody case that has been delayed due to current circumstances. Her ex is now using COVID-19 to control and intimidate Rebecca.

Until recently, Rebecca’s children were being cared for by her sister while she was working, but James put a stop to that: he filed a police report that her sister had recently returned from overseas and the children were at risk of contracting COVID-19. Even though his report was false, Rebecca’s sister was shaken when the police arrived on her doorstep. She is fearful of James’ escalating control tactics. Rebecca is now juggling employment while looking after her children every minute of the day.

Angie is the Barnardos Family Referral Service caseworker who has been supporting Rebecca’s family. She noted that the constant harassment from James is having a shocking impact on Rebecca’s mental health, her confidence as a parent...and on the children’s wellbeing.

“The children have already been through so much,” Angie says. “They witnessed a lot of abuse when dad was living in the home and all three children have been attending play therapy counselling to help them deal with the trauma. I have noticed that the children are becoming increasingly anxious since their father has ramped up his campaign of harassment against their mother. Two of her children have begun bed-wetting and her oldest is really struggling to keep up with his schoolwork.”

Sadly, James is not alone in using this pandemic to intimidate and bully his ex-partner and her children. DONATE today to support families who are falling through the cracks.

Nadia and her brothers would sit outside in the dark listening to their mother scream at the hands of their father.

In abusive homes, children are often in the terrible position of trying to defend their families from violence. This was the case for Nadia, who vowed to keep her mum and two younger brothers safe when she was just 14.

Nadia’s dad often beat their mother so viciously that she ended up in the hospital. She and her brothers would sit outside in the dark listening to the screams when he hit her, making a heart-wrenching decision between staying in the safety of the carport or going inside to protect their mum. That’s when Dad would also turn on Nadia.

The effects of this violence spilled into every part of their lives. Nadia felt anxious all day at school not knowing what was waiting for her at home. Even having food was an issue because their mum couldn’t put dinner on the table when their dad was on a rampage.

Like many survivors of domestic violence, Nadia’s mum was embarrassed and blamed herself. She lied about her injuries. But the last time Nadia’s mum was hospitalised, the nurse knew her fractured jaw and ribs and the bruises all over her body were no accident. She recommended that Nadia’s family come to Barnardos for help.

Nadia’s dad was jailed after the attack, but her mum was scared of how far he might go to hurt them when he was released. She took the brave step of reaching out to Barnardos where she and her children were provided with ongoing counselling and support to help put their horrific experiences behind them. Our teams also worked to find a safe place for the family to live when their dad was released.

We know from research that family violence can become more frequent and severe during periods of emergency. Your DONATION can help us reach more vulnerable children, like Nadia, who deserve a safe and loving home to grow up in.

READ MORE

Help free a child from a life of abuse.  

Any amount

Could provide a child with vital medical care and ongoing check-ups, or with a dedicated support worker to ensure their emotional and psychological needs are met.

AUD $100

Could fund one therapy session for a child and help them start the important journey of healing to overcome their traumatic start in life.

AUD $50

Could provide an at-risk family with a “care package” full of food and essential goods while in isolation.

AUD $20

Could provide an abused child with everyday essentials like new clothes, books, and toys so they can continue learning through play, during the pandemic and well into the future.

DONATE NOW

In 2018-19, our supporters helped impact the lives of:

Icon

13,176

Families kept their children safe at home through our safety and prevention programs.

Icon

2,188

Parents were given the skills to keep their children safe through our parenting programs.

Icon

1,357

Children and their parents were engaged through school readiness and education support..

Barnardos is one of Australia’s leading child protection charities providing services for vulnerable children and families since 1921.

We keep children safe from abuse and neglect by strengthening families and communities facing issues such as violence, poverty, mental illness and homelessness. Our wrap-around services include family support and preservation, domestic violence support, youth and family homelessness services, drug and alcohol support, parenting and early learning programs, foster and kinship care and open adoption. We work to break the cycle of disadvantage, creating safe, nurturing and stable homes, connected to family and community.

With your help we can continue to keep more children safe through our life-changing services.

DONATE NOW