b'A safe haven for women In 2021 we opened crisis accommodation in Melbourne that provides a safe space for older women experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Our team at the Marrageil Baggarrook facilityOne of the women has been getting boxes of have spent the past year working with thefood and sharing them with the other women, women during their stay to secure long-termwhich is lovely to see.housing, and help with their finances, mentalVictorias Royal Commission into Family health and any other support services theyViolence found there is a gap in servicesmay need. for older women experiencing or at riskThe project is the result of a partnershipof homelessness.between the Victorian Government, UnitingIn the past, these women have only had access Vic.Tas, the Uniting Church, Communityto rooming and boarding houses, which are not Housing Limited and the Oak Building Group. suitable for older women, says Linda.Since it opened, four women have moved in andHere, they can move into their own space, are in the process of finding long-term housing. make it their own and feel a lot safer.The women range in age from late 40s toI remember when one of the women first early 70s. moved in. She burst into tears when she walked Two of the women have moved in after fleeingin the door. She couldnt speak for a while. She family violence. was overcome with joy to have her own space.Facility leader, Linda *says the move has made The women are happy to be here. But at the a positive difference for the women. same time, they are also worried about the It was hard when they first moved in,next step.because we were in lockdown due toWere working closely with them to find long-COVID-19, says Linda. term housing solutions.But now that restrictions have eased, the* This is a true story about a real person. Some details such as women are able to socialise and attendnames have been changed to respect the wishes of the person featured. The photo accompanying this story is for illustrative support groups. purposes only. It is not a photo of the person featured in this story.'