Support to family violence survivors has jumped 60 per cent in the past four months compared with last year, Warrnambool-based agency Emma House revealed.
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The alarming data, presented at this week's annual general meeting, showed 882 victim/survivors turned to Emma House for assistance from July to the end of October, up from 555 in the same period last year.
It came as the state government announced $6 million to improve hands-on training for university students in the family violence sector.
Executive officer Ruth Isbel welcomed the announcement.
"This funding addresses both prevent and response services in family violence," she said. "It's important not to lose focus on response services as we need to ensure victim/survivors receive high-quality services.
"It would certainly be good to know the details of the funding and if rural and regional agencies are included in receiving student placements as recruiting is extremely difficult."
The announced funding is for additional student placements, 150 early and mid-career specialists to grow their careers, establishing a graduate program and TAFEs and other training organisations to equip professionals.
Emma House's AGM highlighted its achievements over the 2018-19 financial year.
There was a total of 1873 intakes over the year with 140 women receiving help in Portland, Hamilton, Terang and Camperdown.
Of the 430 woman engaged with outreach and case management services, 367 women fully achieved their case plan goals.
The organisation's crisis accommodation program saw 14 woman exited to their own secure stable housing.
Meanwhile, the women who established Emma House in the 1970s were honoured as the organisation celebrated its 40th anniversary. Del Clapp and Maxine Golding Clarke were acknowledged for their ongoing contribution across four decades. They both retired from the board earlier this year.
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