Empower her Journey

Empower her Journey

Gari means House, and Kuruma means 'a place of dwelling'.
Our Vision for Gari Kuruma Refuge is to create a culturally safe, trauma-informed refuge in the Hunter Valley that offers women and children fleeing domestic and family violence not just shelter, but the tools to rebuild their lives with dignity, safety, and hope.

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Corporate Sponsors
Meet our media sponsor:
www.tdmedia.com.au
TD Media
TD Media Video Sponsor
Meet our accounting sponsor:
www.tassociates.com.au
Tumbers & Associates
Tumbers & Associates Accounting sponsor
What Is Domestic Violence? Understanding the Many Forms of Abuse
What Is Domestic Violence? Understanding the Many Forms of Abuse Domestic violence is often imagined as physical assault. While physical violence is one of the most visible forms of abuse, it is only one part of a much broader pattern of behaviours used to control, intimidate, and harm another...
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The Impact of Domestic Violence
The Impact of Domestic Violence in the Hunter Valley Domestic violence is often spoken about as a private issue occurring within individual homes. In reality, it is a major public health and community safety issue that affects entire regions, including the Hunter Valley. Across Newcastle, Lake...
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Domestic Violence and Indigenous Communities
Domestic Violence and Indigenous Communities: Why a Different Approach Is Needed Domestic violence affects people from all backgrounds, but Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities experience disproportionate impacts due to historical, social, and systemic factors. Understanding this...
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Why Women Stay in Abusive Relationships
Why Women Stay in Abusive Relationships One of the most common and damaging myths surrounding domestic violence is the question: “Why doesn’t she just leave?” The reality is far more complex. Leaving an abusive relationship is often the most dangerous and difficult stage of domestic violence , and...
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How to Help Someone Experiencing Domestic Violence
How to Help Someone Experiencing Domestic Violence Domestic violence often occurs behind closed doors, but the impacts are rarely invisible to those around the victim. Friends, family members, neighbours, and colleagues may notice changes in behaviour, signs of distress, or concerning patterns...
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Early Warning Signs of Coercive Control
Early Warning Signs of Coercive Control Domestic violence rarely begins with physical assault. In many cases, abusive relationships start with subtle behaviours that gradually escalate over time. These behaviours often form part of a pattern known as coercive control , where one partner seeks to...
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Police-recorded domestic violence assaults Across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock & Port Stephens in 2024.



NSW Crime Statistics
Police-recorded domestic violence assaults in 2024 in the Hunter
% of all NSW domestic violence assaults occurred in the Hunter region
per 100,000 people in the Hunter reported domestic violence


Why Immediate Action Is Required


Nearly 2,000 recorded assaults in one year in our region is not a statistic — it represents women forced to flee, children exposed to trauma, and families in crisis.

Without sufficient refuge accommodation:

Women are forced into unsafe temporary housing

Children remain exposed to violence

Police and hospitals carry preventable system pressure

Victims return to perpetrators due to lack of safe alternatives

A women’s refuge is not a future aspiration. It is a present necessity.

Gari Kuruma Leadership

Meet our team: