By: Steve Dunster
Warning: The following article contains mentions of domestic violence. If you need support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au. If you have been impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.
Aussies are being encouraged to donate their old mobile phones, to give domestic violence victims a safe way to get help.
Ashton Wood, Founder, CEO and Director of DV Safe Phone spoke about the difference a phone can make.
“The concerning thing we’re seeing is the numbers are getting worse not better,” he said.
“It’s really important [for victims of domestic violence to have a safe phone], and until four years ago I had no idea.
“It was just a chance discussion with an ex-police Senior Sergeant about phones.
“She explained to me that during domestic violence, the victim’s mobile phone is often one of the first things to get smashed, taken or monitored as part of coercive control, so it restricts the victim from calling for help and reaching out to their support networks.”
This was the conversation that kicked off DV Safe Phone.
“What the police need is a spare phone the victim can take home and hide and use to keep connected to support until they have the support and confidence to leave,” Ashton said.
Ashton started by donating his old phones. He then put the call out to his community, asking them to send their old phones to him.
“Four years later, we’ve received 23 000 mobile phones from all over Australia,” he said. “We’re sending out over a hundred phones a week and we’ve protected just over 8100 domestic violence victims in Australia.”
It’s incredible, the impact that an old phone can have. So if you have old phones lying around, why not donate them?
“We would love any old phone,” Ashton said.
Visit dvsafephone.org for a map of 800+ phone drop off locations around Australia – as well as a list of services which are distributing the phones.
If you need support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au. If you have been impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.
Article supplied with thanks to Salt 106.5.
Feature image: Canva Pro