Domestic violence doesn’t stop at Christmas
For most children, Christmas is a time of magic, wonder and joy. But for children of families fleeing domestic violence, it can be filled with trauma and loss.
When a family is forced to leave their home to seek safety, they often have little time to take even the most basic essentials. Worse still, many services are closed over the festive season, and families often don’t know where they’ll sleep.
What gift could you give this Christmas?
$50
A week of school lunches
Families fleeing violence often face difficulty affording consistent lunches for school. $50 will help ensure a child doesnt go hungry while settling into a new school after fleeing domestic violence.
$75
Fuel vouchers for a mum
When fleeing domestic violence, a mother may struggle to pay for fuel for essential travel such as: moving between crisis accommodations, medical appointments, school drop offs, or legal meetings. $75 can help a mum get her family where they need to go.
$500
Therapeutic and casework support
Families escaping domestic violence households may require intensive casework to rebuild stability, provide practical support, as well as specialist therapeutic support to deal with trauma. $500 can contribute to the costs of these specialised services.
2 in 5 children experience domestic violence in Australia ¹
30% of children who received homelessness support in June 2025 were under five years old ²
2.6 million Australians have witnessed violence towards a parent by a partner before age 15 ³
Molly just donated $6.20
This year, Bella* doesn’t even know if Christmas will come
Like any child, Bella had been bursting with excitement for Christmas.
But because of violence, Bella’s mum, Carmen*, was forced to leave the family home, along with Bella and her three older brothers – even though they had nowhere safe to go.
They left in the middle of the night, with no food, no toiletries, very little money. And no Christmas presents.
When they left, Bella was confused, frightened, and wondering if Santa would be able to find her.
Help to bring joy to a family this Christmas.
For more than 200 years, the Benevolent Society has looked after Australia’s most vulnerable people.
We have the knowledge and expertise to provide emergency support for families fleeing domestic violence. We help find short-term accommodation, provide immediate essentials such as toiletries, and help families connect to other services so they can begin the journey from crisis to safety, and eventually recovery.
The Benevolent Society has the expertise and solutions to provide emergency support, and ensure children can find safety, recover and thrive.
“Over Christmas there's an additional layer of trauma because everything they know of Christmas is completely different. They don't have access to their house anymore, any of their clothes. Their presents might have been left under the tree.”
- The Benevolent Society, Case Manager
Thank You
Your donation can provide emergency relief for children and families fleeing domestic violence this Christmas.
¹ Child Maltreatment study 2024. ² AIHW Aug 2025. ³ ABS, Personal Safety, Australia, 2021–22. *Names changed to protect individual's privacy. Stock images. Models used for illustrative purposes.
