WA Communities Minister David Templeman has announced $60,000 in funding to benefit people in Rockingham affected by family and domestic violence.

Mr Templeman said funding for the South Metropolitan Integrated Family Abuse Service (SMIFAS) would allow local service providers to expand services to help victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.

“We need to ensure there are co-ordinated and effective agency responses to people experiencing family and domestic violence,” he said.

“The SMIFAS model will see Government and non-Government agencies working together to provide holistic support, advocacy and legal assistance to people affected by domestic violence in the south metropolitan region.

“By improving interagency co-ordination and strengthening agency responses, we can provide greater protection for women and children affected by family and domestic violence and increase accountability of perpetrators.”

SMIFAS chairperson Anne Moore said they would ensure that service providers worked with each other consistently and co-operatively to improve the safety of women and children.

“Every month in Rockingham, more than 200 family violence incidents are reported to police, and many more women and children will never speak up about the abuse they endure,” Ms Moore said.

“Close working relationships between key family and domestic violence service providers in Rockingham are integral to the effectiveness of SMIFAS, and this funding will support our co-ordination.

“By working together in one location, these services support each other to maximise resources and provide one single and familiar location for women to visit and seek help.”

SMIFAS is the first model to be developed as part of the State Government’s commitment of $909,000 annual funding to implement and operate co-ordinated responses to domestic violence across Western Australia.