Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre - Women · Building · Belonging

Women's Shelter

The Shelter provides crisis accommodation for women and children escaping domestic and family violence.

The Shelter was established in 1995 and was the first service to be funded following the establishment of the Marninwarntikura Women’s Group in 1991.

Since 1991 the Shelter has operated as a crisis response centre for women and children experiencing domestic violence in the Fitzroy Valley. 

In 2017 the Women’s Shelter underwent a comprehensive review of the way it operates to develop a new strengths-based and trauma-informed model for women and children coming to the Shelter. This was based on talking with community women across the Fitzroy Valley, other service providers, and other women's shelters in WA and NT.

The Shelter provides:

  • Safe & supported accommodation
  • Intensive support and external referrals
  • Safety planning and access to a range of Marninwarntikura supports

Marninwarntikura Supports

The Family Violence Prevention & Legal Team provide information and follow up legal support. 

The Marninwarntikura Healing team provide informative workshops, opportunities for nurturing and self-care, and counselling support for individuals and families. 

    Focus on children

    The team is focussing on supporting the children who come to the Women's Shelter by working closely with Baya Gawiy Early Childhood Learning Unit and the Child and Parent Centre. This work is designed as an early intervention strategy to interrupt the intergenerational cycle of violence and trauma.

    The Marulu team provide information and practical support on FASD and early life trauma.

    Women's Shelter Care & Support Model

     Womens Shelter

    The Shelter's support model identifies strengths and works towards increasing understanding the impact of traumas.

    For the future

    Changes are being made to the Shelter environment to create a safer, calmer and more healing environment. Marninwarntikura is working with pro bono support and the Department of Communities to explore possibilities for a purpose-built Shelter. This is an exciting opportunity and a pro bono architect has already been engaged to help us to develop a comprehensive plan.

    Working with men

    The community identifies a large gap in Fitzroy Crossing for the provision of support for men’s healing and a 'whole of valley' approach to working with perpetrators of domestic and family violence. Marninwarntikura is working on a solutions-based community response and continue to raise this issue. MWRC collaborates with the Men’s Shed and other services to identify funding and support options.

    Shelter review

    A review was conducted in 2017 to investigate a revised service delivery model for the Shelter. View the report (PDF 1.4MB)