Australia's first refuge for women and children Elsie Night Shelter turns 50

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The Elsie Women's Refuge Night Shelter was formed in 1974. Its founder reflects on unwelcome male visits, lessons learned and the 'community attitudes' that still need to change on its 50th anniversary.

In the middle of the night, a terrified mother holding a baby banged on the back door of Anne Summers's house, trying to escape her violent husband.

"I don't think we really thought it through, we just wanted to establish a safe place for women and their children, a place where they could not only stay but stay overnight," Dr Summers said.People dropped off bags of clothes, kitchenware and blankets on the doorstep. They couldn't afford security, but the Glebe Police Station was just around the corner and Dr Summers said over time, the officers grew more sympathetic and appreciative of what the shelter provided.

"Medical staff didn't even record domestic violence incidents or injuries. We didn't have women's health services, we didn't have women's sexual assault services. "Community attitudes are still a problem and that's going to be the next 50 years worth of work," Ms Donovan said. "We don't know anything much about perpetrators… we just don't know enough to make policy effective in reducing violence and saving lives.""It's something we should've done 10 years ago," she said.

 

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