Domestic violence services desperate for funding.

Trigger warning: This post deals with domestic violence and may be triggering for some readers.

By EMMA YOUNGER

Domestic violence services are desperate for more funding, and both Labor and the Coalition could do more to tackle the problem in Victoria, service providers say.

A coalition of service providers joined ranks under the banner “No More Deaths” and released a scorecard on the policies of the major parties ahead of next week’s Victorian election. The campaign praised both for making a greater commitment to minimising family violence but also found a need for greater spending and leadership to protect women and children.

The scorecard found Labor had not pledged enough immediate funding for services and questioned how the Coalition would spend the $150 million it promised to deal with domestic violence.

Rodney Vlais, a spokesman for No To Violence, which is part of the campaign, said a lot of progress had been made on the issue but greater commitments were needed.

“The ALP’s announcement regarding the royal commission will enable a very strong planning process and commitments that will bind the next and future governments,” he said.

“However, the ALP’s immediate policy and funding announcements are very disappointing given how much services are screaming out for more funding now to be able to meet demand.”

Labor pledged $23 million to immediately address the issue before a promised royal commission into family violence in 2015. Meanwhile, the Coalition pledged $150 million in a raft of measures to tackle the issue.

Mr Vlais said while it was an admirable sum, it was unclear exactly where that money would be spent.

“The Coalition have put some useful funding commitments on the table over the next five years, but it’s unsure how much of that money is going to go to specialist family violence organisations,” he said.

Several high-profile murders earlier this year, including the death of Victorian schoolboy Luke Batty, thrust the issue into the spotlight in the lead-up to the Victorian election.

But domestic experts said they were disappointed the issue had dropped off the radars of politicians in the final weeks of the campaign.

Federation of Community Legal Centres’ senior policy advisor Chris Atmore said the major parties were still not treating it with enough importance.

“It’s been a profound shift that family violence is a key part of the campaigning,” Dr Atmore said.

“But we would have really liked to have seen a more substantial shift from those parties with the power to influence budgets towards making more money available given the $3.4 billion or so it costs Victoria every year.”

If you or someone you know are affected by domestic violence, call the Domestic Violence Helpline in 1800 800 098 24 hours, 7 days a week, or click here.

This article originally appeared on ABC News and has been republished with full permission. 

The following women and children were some of the victims, or alleged victims, of domestic violence in Australia over the past two years. Mamamia will continue to update and publish this gallery each time the epidemic claims another life.