Victim Support Unit : Victims of Crime Assistance League - Hunter NSW

27/10/2026

💜 Children exposed to domestic and family violence are victims, not just witnesses.

Whether they witness violence firsthand, hear it occurring or live with its aftermath, the impact on children can be profound and lifelong. Their experiences deserve to be recognised and taken seriously.

Tabitha Acret, whose daughter Mackenzie Anderson was tragically murdered in 2022, is advocating for legislative reform to ensure children exposed to domestic and family violence are recognised as victims in their own right.

Her petition calls for stronger legal recognition, greater accountability and improved access to trauma-informed support for children affected by domestic and family violence.

Recognising the harm caused by violence is an important part of ensuring victims are heard, supported and able to access the assistance they need.

We encourage our community to read Tabitha's petition and support this important conversation.

✍️ Read and sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/recognise-children-as-victims-of-domestic-violence-in-australia

Recognise children as victims of domestic violence in Australia

26/10/2026

Twelve months on, this is where we stand.

Recorded domestic and family violence assaults in NSW are 31% higher than ten years ago. Over the same period sexual offences rose 103 per cent and breaches of Apprehended Violence Orders rose 90 per cent. New South Wales now has its first dedicated strategy addressing people who use violence. And while Australia now has national data on family and domestic violence-related homicide, there remains no single national count of women killed by men — the broader measure often referred to as femicide.

Every figure here is sourced and dated. Behind each one is a name.

One thing we can change now: survivors should be able to seek counselling without it being subpoenaed and used against them. The Collective backs Don't Subpoena Our Support: Keep Counselling Confidential.

Join us to honour and remember the women and children who have lost their lives to domestic and family violence.

Wednesday 25 November, 12pm. Martin Place, Sydney C*D, between Pitt and Castlereagh St.

22/10/2026

Each pair represents a woman or child whose life was taken by domestic and family violence. The shoes are laid one at a time, in silence, by people who work in this every day.

By midday, Martin Place is full of them.

Join us to honour and remember the women and children killed by domestic and family violence.

Our Vigil is supported by a performance from Tim Minchin , musician, writer and actor. Main speaker , one of Australia's leading voices working to end men's violence against women and children.

Wednesday 25 November, 12pm. Martin Place, Sydney C*D, between Pitt and Castlereagh St.

21/10/2026

How do we make sure the voices and experiences of victim-survivors are reflected in the systems designed to support them?

This was one of the important conversations at yesterday's Victims of Crime Commissioner’s Stakeholder Forum, where VOCAL's CEO Sophie joined Victims of Crime Commissioner Hannah Damkar, Homicide Victims Support Group CEO Martha Jabour and Road Trauma Support Group Co-Founder Tom Daher for a panel discussion facilitated by Tanya Smyth.

Working directly with victim-survivors, we see firsthand the challenges people face when navigating systems that are often complex, overwhelming and difficult to access.

Opportunities like yesterday's forum are important for bringing frontline experiences into conversations about how these systems can better respond to the people they're intended to support.

Thank you to the Victims of Crime Commissioner for the opportunity to contribute, and to our fellow panellists for sharing their perspectives and experiences.

Meaningful change starts with listening to those who know where the gaps are.

19/10/2026

On Saturday evening, Sam and Sophie represented VOCAL at the Hunter Community Legal Centre 35th Anniversary Gala Dinner.

It was a fantastic evening celebrating 35 years of supporting the Hunter community, alongside the many organisations, advocates and supporters who share a commitment to making our community a fairer and more accessible place.

For 35 years, Hunter Community Legal Centre has worked to remove barriers to accessing legal advice, support and justice, particularly for people experiencing disadvantage or facing difficult circumstances. Their work is an important reminder of why free, accessible community legal services matter and the difference they can make in people's lives.

Through our work supporting victims of crime, we understand how important it is to remove barriers to accessing support and ensure people feel heard, informed and empowered when navigating complex systems. We're grateful to work alongside organisations like Hunter Community Legal Centre that share this commitment.

A big congratulations to the Hunter Community Legal Centre team, past and present, on 35 years of making a difference in our community. Thank you for the important work you do, and here's to many more years! 💙

28/09/2026

It was a pleasure for our CEO Sophie and Admin Sam to meet with the new Commissioner of Victims Rights, Hannah Damkar, on Wednesday.

We had a really positive and engaging conversation about the work of VOCAL, the experiences of victim-survivors accessing support across NSW, and some of the opportunities and challenges we are seeing through our work in the Hunter.

It was wonderful to have the opportunity to connect, share ideas and discuss how we can continue working together to support victim-survivors and ensure their voices and experiences remain at the centre of the work we do.

Thank you Hannah for taking the time to meet with us and for such a warm and constructive conversation. We look forward to working with you in your new role and continuing to build a strong relationship between VOCAL and the Office of the Commissioner of Victims Rights. 🤝

25/09/2026

Last week, our CEO Sophie had the privilege of presenting at the National Justice Forum, sharing insights from VOCAL’s frontline work supporting victim-survivors to navigate the justice system.

Sophie’s presentation, “From Rights to Reality: Strengthening victim-survivor access to justice through independent, trauma-informed navigation,” explored the gap that can exist between rights and protections on paper and the realities victim-survivors experience when trying to access them.

Drawing on VOCAL’s frontline experience, Sophie spoke about the importance of independent, trauma-informed support in helping victim-survivors understand and exercise their rights while navigating a legal and justice system that can be complex, fragmented and difficult to access.

The presentation also highlighted the impact of late referrals, the importance of stronger coordination between justice, legal and support services, and the value of relational, place-based approaches. This included the power of co-location within settings such as Community Corrections to reach victim-survivors who may otherwise fall through gaps in the service system.

We’re incredibly proud to see VOCAL’s frontline experience contributing to important national conversations about system reform, early intervention and more accessible, integrated responses for victim-survivors.

Thank you to the National Justice Forum for the opportunity to be part of the conversation. 💜

12/08/2026

Yesterday, our Sophie Wheeler had the privilege of giving evidence before the NSW Parliament’s inquiry into the Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT), alongside Martha Jabour OAM, CEO of the Homicide Victims’ Support Group.

Martha has been a tireless advocate for victims of homicide and their families for decades, and we were proud to stand alongside her in calling for a system that better recognises and respects the experiences of victims and their families.

Through our work supporting victims of crime, we see firsthand the profound impact that decisions made within the MHRT can have on victims, their families and loved ones.

For too long, victim-survivors and their families have felt unheard, overlooked or excluded from processes that can have an enormous impact on their lives, safety and sense of justice.

VOCAL welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this important inquiry and to advocate alongside the Homicide Victims’ Support Group for meaningful reform, towards a system where the rights, wellbeing and voices of victims are afforded equal consideration alongside the rights and needs of offenders.

We thank the Committee for the opportunity to give evidence, and most importantly acknowledge the victim-survivors and families whose experiences inform this advocacy.

Their voices deserve to be heard. Their experiences deserve to matter.

11/08/2026

24/07/2026

⚠️ Important safety information – National AusAlert test

On Monday 27 July at 2:00 pm (AEST), a nationwide test of Australia's new AusAlert emergency warning system will be sent to compatible mobile phones, tablets and smartwatches.

The alert will:

📱 Display a TEST MESSAGE on your screen.
🔊 Play a loud siren-like sound for around 10 seconds.
📳 Sound even if your device is on silent or Do Not Disturb.

If you have a hidden or safety phone, or receiving this alert could place you or someone you know at risk, consider turning the device off or switching it to aeroplane mode before 2:00 pm on Monday. Official guidance recommends leaving it off for at least one hour after the test, or longer if needed for your safety.

Please share this information with anyone who may be affected.

💙 Stay informed. Stay safe.