Key Points
- Yolŋu-led Galiwin'ku Women's Space is establishing a permanent home.
- It will mean women can stay on the island to receive help.
Bettina Danganbarr is trusted by the women living on Galiwin’ku.
“The ladies in my community see me as a helper, a strong person. That’s why they started coming to my house, seeking refuge,” she said.
Ms Danganbarr has been working as an Aboriginal Community Police Officer (APCO) for the past 15 years.
She’s opened her home to countless women fleeing domestic and family violence, but one incident quickly changed that.
“A woman came running into my home being chased by her partner,” she said.
"After following her into my house he started being abusive. The partner was angry and began to threaten both of us.
“It was then I decided I couldn’t put myself or my children into that dangerous situation and decided to lobby for a safe house on Galiwin’ku.”
Bettina Danganbarr with her grandchildren and friends' children. She wants to see other families kept safe on the island. Source: SBS News / Aneeta Bhole
The service is a culturally-appropriate community space that provides crisis and preventative support for women on the island, also known as Elcho Island — population 2,199.
“In the beginning, there was a lot of confusion, some people were not happy, because of a lack of education and information about family violence,” she said.
“They thought we were here to just lock all the men up, that only men get in trouble, but soon people started to see what this space was really for.
“We manage to bring the ladies into our small office and sit down and talk to them and make a plan that is culturally appropriate,” she said.
The mango tree on Galiwin’ku where the women started meeting. Source: SBS News / Aneeta Bhole
They later moved their operation to a small shipping container in the middle of town.
According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Northern Territory saw a 27 per cent increase in family and domestic violence cases from 2019 to 2020.
In many serious cases of family violence on Galiwin’ku, women are often flown from the island to Nhulunbuy, 120km away, or even further, to Darwin.
Members of the Galiwin’ku Women’s Group at their current meeting space. Source: SBS News / Aneeta Bhole
But with the dedicated work of the Galiwin’ku Women’s Space, that is all about to change.
The island’s first shelter for women will open later in the year, providing women with an option to stay within the community.
“We just can't wait for the shelter to be open — I truly feel blessed to be working with the ladies that are trying to make change,” said Ms Danganbarr.
Work has started on the new Galiwin’ku women's shelter. Source: SBS News / Aneeta Bhole
“We want to work with people in a strong, positive way to make our community safer.”
Construction on the shelter has already started, and it will be located just down from the island's police headquarters.
“We’re not just putting a Band-Aid solution to the problem, we are trying to fix the root of the problem,” said Ms Danganbarr.
“We are committed, we are strong ladies and we do show up and we do try to advocate for other women.
Bettina with one of the other women who works at the women’s space and her child. Source: SBS News / Aneeta Bhole
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