![]() Economic security in turn increases the likelihood that women and children can recover from the otherwise lasting adverse effects of family violence on emotional and social wellbeing, and financial and housing stability. Research has consistently found that women who are financially independent are better-positioned to successfully and permanently leave an abusive partner. Additional funding to secure women’s safety from violence would also have produced economic benefits through greater workforce participation. It would have demonstrated that reducing the economic, social and health-related costs of family violence on the community remains a priority for government. This budget represents a missed opportunity by the federal government to recognise the importance of investing in domestic and family violence prevention and response.ĭirecting resources to domestic and family violence in the budget would have reflected a government commitment to ensuring women and children’s safety. We know that the financial and social costs have risen exponentially – and that is a cost that women bear. The financial impact of violence against women and their children during COVID-19 is not accounted for in the budget. In 2015-16, it was approximated that 10% ($2.1 billion) of the estimated costs of family violence to the Australian economy are attributable to a loss in productivity, and another 20% ($4.4 billion) to long-term financial insecurity or hardship of victim-survivors. ![]() Victims and survivors bear more than half of this cost. The annual cost of violence against women and their children in Australia is estimated at $26 billion (at a minimum). The heightened risk of family violence for women and children across Australia have been well-documented, as have the additional barriers to seeking help. The pandemic has given new prominence to the social and economic impacts of family violence. The failure to devote national funding to women’s and children’s safety is particularly alarming in the context of COVID-19. Read more: Coronavirus: Fear of family violence spike as COVID-19 impact hits households This omission is significant, and will set Australia back in its efforts to better respond to and prevent all forms of family and domestic violence. The budget commits no new funding towards addressing the national emergency that is domestic and family violence in Australia, also disproportionately affecting women. No new funding for domestic and family violence The lack of investment in childcare, and a failure to offer financial supports to female-dominated workforces, many of which have been on the frontline of Australia’s response to the pandemic, will have long-term impacts on women’s participation in the workforce. Read more: Federal budget 2020 overview: Zeroing in on the debt, deficits, and fiscal stimulus This is despite the well-documented gendered effects of COVID-19 on employment rates, with more women having lost employment than men during the pandemic. The budget does include $240 million over five years towards enhancing women’s financial security and contribution to paid work but, at best estimate, this accounts for 0.04% of the entire federal budget.Īs Women’s Agenda has recently noted, this represents only 0.3% of the entire budget for 51% of the Australian population. A lack of funding for women generally, and specifically to support women’s economic recovery, in Tuesday night’s federal budget raises significant concern, particularly for victims and survivors of family violence.
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