Three women killed in separate alleged domestic violence incidents in NSW within about 10 hours must prompt more than another cycle of grief, condemnation and fading public attention, the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre says.
Acting General Manager Tonina Harvey said violence against women affected every part of the community.
“Domestic violence crosses every boundary. It affects women of all ages, backgrounds and circumstances, in every community,” Ms Harvey said.
“We cannot keep repeating the same cycle. A woman is killed, we grieve, politicians condemn the violence, and there are calls for change. Then public attention moves on until another woman dies.
“That cannot be Australia’s domestic violence strategy. We need more than outrage after another death.”
Three men have been charged with domestic violence-related murder following the deaths of women in Wagga Wagga, Mole River and Bondi Beach.
Ms Harvey said continued investment in specialist domestic violence services, policing, courts and secure housing was essential, but governments must also fund prevention, early intervention and community-based women’s health services.
In the Illawarra, police recorded 1,244 domestic violence-related assaults across Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama in the year to June 2026, according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.
The NSW Domestic Violence Death Review Team’s dashboard, current to June 2026, records 349 women and 134 children and young people killed in domestic violence homicides across the state since 2000.
Ms Harvey said women’s health centres were often able to identify violence and connect women with support before they reached crisis point.
“A woman may come to us seeking help for anxiety, menopause, financial stress or counselling,” she said.
“Behind that presenting issue may be coercive control, sexual violence, financial abuse, stalking or fear. Early intervention does not only happen when somebody calls Triple Zero.”
Demand for counselling, domestic and family violence support, and sexual and reproductive healthcare at the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre has more than doubled in three years.
Some women face waits of up to 12 months, while referrals have periodically been closed because the Centre does not have the capacity to accept more clients.
The Centre is seeking increased recurrent funding for its Warilla services and NSW Government investment in a permanent Northern Illawarra site.
It self-funded a temporary outreach service at the University of Wollongong Innovation Campus in 2024, but says the service cannot continue long-term without government support.
A permanent northern site would provide bulk-billed women’s healthcare, counselling, casework and bilingual support for a population of more than 113,000 women.
“We need long-term funding that allows services to retain skilled staff and reach women before their situation escalates,” Ms Harvey said.
“Enough condolences without change. Enough pilots when proven services need sustainable funding.
“We owe every woman who is frightened in her own home a system that can reach her and a service with the resources to help her.”