With six police referrals for domestic violence support in just one day, there hasn't been much to celebrate in Tamworth Family Support Services.
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However finding out they will soon be able to help victims break free from confining lease agreements without penalty was a cause for some Christmas festivities.
Counsellors, social workers and psychologists will soon be able to terminate leases immediately and without penalty. Only doctors could sign off before.
Manager Lynda Townsend was overjoyed by the NSW Government reforms, saying that it was a gift just in time for Christmas.
"There could've been many reasons why a woman may not confide in her doctor about an abuse situation, so opening it up to others more appropriate in this space is a fantastic step," Ms Townsend explained.
But they have little else to celebrate. They've had 50 police referrals for domestic violence support last month alone. They had six come through in just one day.
But it's not just the number of victims we are seeing, I've never seen this level of brutality and viciousness in four years that I have in the last six months.
- Lynda Townsend
"But it's not just the number of victims we are seeing, I've never seen this level of brutality and viciousness in four years that I have in the last six months. One of the other striking things is we've had so many first time victims," Ms Townsend detailed.
She said people who'd been married for years, decades, were experiencing violence for the first time.
Helping share the spirit of the season as much as they can, she also said normally by this time they'd be "inundated" with food donations to help make Christmas special.
But with everyone else feeling the pinch of the pandemic, they've had none this year.
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Minister for Better Regulation and Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson made the lease announcement with Attorney General and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Mark Speakman.
Mr Anderson said the government didn't want anything to "prevent a victim of abuse being able to remove themselves from a dangerous situation."
"Leaving a violent relationship can be one of the most difficult and dangerous decisions a victim has to make. Under these changes we are increasing the options people have to get help safely," he said.
