JENNY's Place Domestic Violence Resource Centre staff say the government's refusal to provide it with funding has left the centre only months away from possible closure, which will have a domino effects on other services across the region.
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Staff have used donations to stave off closure since their two years of sponsorship from Port Waratah Coal Services ran out in September.
Jenny's Place manager Marcia Chapman said while donations were needed to "keep us going while we argue the point to government", it was an unsustainable source of long term funding and did not provide the ability to plan or attract and retain skilled staff.
"We're seeing 60 women a month," Ms Chapman said.
"If we're forced to close the resource centre, then where are those women going to go?
"People's lives could be at risk, it's such a vital service.
"Every agency we know in this community is at capacity, they've got wait lists, they've got people they just can't see.
"Government and non-government agencies are relying heavily on the service yet the government themselves won't fund it, it's just ludicrous."
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Mark Speakman said he gave "suggestions for the team to continue seeking corporate or philanthropic contributions, as they had from Port Waratah Coal Service, for instance".
"I also advised that I would investigate whether any further government investment could be made in the near future," he said.
"That work is ongoing and I intend to update Jenny's Place as soon as possible."
Ms Chapman said it wasn't the community's responsibility to fund the service.
"It's an ongoing issue... therefore it needs ongoing funding."
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp and Shadow Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Trish Doyle used the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence to renew their calls for the government to intervene.
Mr Crakanthorp questioned why the government hadn't found the $300,000 the centre needs each year to survive, labelling this a "drop in the ocean" compared to its $431 million commitment over four years to its domestic and family violence response.
"This government has ripped out over $2 billion from Newcastle since they were elected," he said.
"If they can't put in $300,000 a year for a resource centre that helps women... that simply isn't good enough."
He has 2000 of the 10,000 signatures needed for a debate in parliament.
Ms Doyle said demand far outstrips services' capability to supply.
"That's been reported to government. So we call on them to step up in this week where people are speaking out and to actually fund fantastic services like Jenny's Place [resource centre]."
Helen Gregory
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
