The Domestic Violence Epidemic - Jo Westh from 4 Voices

Beyond The Rona

In this episode we chat with Jo Westh, Founder of 4 Voices and learn about the incredible work they're doing in the Logan and Brisbane community.

We hear about how she manages using the translating and interpreting service to assist multilingual people who need assistance accessing welfare benefits, food, clothing, shelter.

4 Voices is a connection service.

Firstly; Social Connection - initially assisting women escaping Domestic Violence to have a coffee and connect at their purple van.

Secondly; Digital Connection - helping people access the internet / wifi, myGov, Centrelink claim forms, etc.

4 Voices started to fill the gap for women who were invisible but still in crisis. Being a mobile service, 4 Voices is better able to reach out to traumatised women as these women are terrified and not always able to access help. Jo says the women who access the service are focused on survival and need a mobile service to reach out to them to assist them, to help them reconnect with the community as they are busy trying to survive.

Fourthly; Community Connection - helping people connect with other services

4 Voices travel all over Brisbane, Logan and Ipswich - with one purple van.

The charity started after Jo's son started Orange Sky - washing clothes for homeless people using an orange van and connecting with vulnerable people on the streets - mainly men used this service.

Jo says the women who access the service are focussed on survival and need a mobile service to reach out to them to assist them, to help them reconnect with the community as they are busy trying to survive.

Logan is a place where we have large numbers of vulnerable people - lower socioeconomic area. Large numbers of people with disability, people with mental health issues, domestic violence issues, people who rely on charities to make it through.

Charities are really valued in Logan. they help families, pick up the slack where government services aren’t providing, fill gaps where mistrust is eg Government or Religious, tend to know what’s really going on.

To search for “DV help” online is difficult. Search terms - “Domestic Violence”, “Logan”. https://www.logan.qld.gov.au/community-directory

https://www.mycommunitydirectory.com.au/Queensland/Logan

Found: YFS, PCYC, Mens Rights Groups, Mens Legal Services, Womens Legal Assistance.

Under “multicultural” - 2 Chinese and 1 Cambodian Group that might help a multilingual person in Logan with DV, 2 First Nations Groups, St Vincent de Paul, Anglicare, an LGBTI Legal Service, Centre for Women & Co (Referral Centre), Access Community Services (Migrants & Refugees).

Not many results to help - especially for First Nations or Multicultural people.

Jo's 3 Big Ideas for how we rebuild our communities:

1. Need for the community to connect with marginalised people - those with substance abuse, housing issues, mental health issues, the unemployed, domestic violence survivors, and for people to be less judgemental and respectful of other people’s stories

2. To galvanise our efforts and find the “vaccine” to fix domestic violence in the same way we have for Covid-19

3. As 4 Voices is a volunteer-run organisation - they need volunteers and donors to continue helping the huge numbers of women affected by domestic violence in Logan. Visit their website at: https://www.4voices.org.au/