More SOS alarms for victims of domestic violence

Minister for Family and Community Services, Pru Goward today announced the further roll-out of more SOS response alarms to better support domestic violence victims.

An additional 70 alarms will be rolled out this year following the introduction of the first roll out in June 2012, when 50 alarms were provided to women who were at very high risk of domestic violence.

The alarms send an alert to Police, who are then able to pinpoint the woman’s location using GPS and respond. Police treat these calls as high priority, giving users a sense of security.

“These alarms are already having a positive impact on the lives of domestic violence victims across NSW; by rolling out more alarms, we can help more victims in a meaningful way,” Ms Goward said.

“These women can rest assured in the knowledge that somebody knows where they are at all times, and that help is only the push of a button away.

“Not only are these alarms designed to ensure a quick response to any threats. They also provide an extra sense of security, helping these women lead a normal life that most of us take for granted.

“Domestic violence continues to remain a significant problem in our community; the NSW Government is committed to better supporting victims of domestic violence, as well as holding perpetrators to account for their actions,” Ms Goward said.

The rollout of more SOS response alarms complements the NSW Government’s recent reforms to better respond to domestic violence.

The Liberals and Nationals have:

• Started work on a new domestic and family violence framework to better support victims; and
• Invested $9.8 million over three years to focus on early intervention, prevention and behaviour change.

For information about where to get assistance for domestic violence go to www.domesticviolence.nsw.gov.au