Empowering victim-survivors of family violence through employment
Financial independence is essential for victim-survivors’ wellbeing and recovery. It enables access to safe and stable housing, financial security, and greater independence.
However, victim-survivors often face significant barriers to gaining and maintaining employment. These barriers are shaped by the ongoing impacts of family violence, as well as traditional job-seeking programs and workplaces that are not designed to respond to these experiences.
WIRE developed the Sustainable and Transformative Employment Pathways (STEP) Job Seeker Program to address these challenges.
Program overview
The STEP project supports victim-survivors to find appropriate and sustainable paid work that enables their financial recovery, while also strengthening workplace practices to support job retention.
It was co-designed with victim-survivors of family violence who have job-seeking experience, alongside human resources professionals working to improve employment policies and practices.
STEP was grounded in intersectional feminism, trauma-informed practice, and a ‘village-of-support’ model.
The program ran from 2021 to 2023 across three cohorts and included:
- Online workshops
- In-person group sessions
- One-on-one job coaching
Outcomes and learnings
Participants who completed the STEP program reported:
- 76% gained employment
- Increased financial confidence and optimism about their financial future
- Improved job-seeking skills, knowledge and work readiness
- Increased confidence and social connection
The project also demonstrated that:
- Employment is a critical part of recovery for victim-survivors, but must be supported with the right tools and environment
- Safe, inclusive workplaces are essential for long-term job retention
- Co-design and lived experience must be central to program development
- Cross-sector collaboration is vital for success
The STEP model also shows strong potential for broader systems change:
- Workplaces involved in the project began adopting more inclusive recruitment and retention practices
- The model is scalable and adaptable across sectors
Learn more
STEP Knowledge Paper – outlines the origins, design, and philosophy behind STEP
STEP Learning and Outcomes Paper – evaluates the impact and effectiveness of the program
Getting Support
Our trained support workers can talk through what’s happening and help you understand your options, at your own pace.
You can call WIRE on 1300 134 130, start a web chat, or book an appointment.
Emergency Support
| Emergency Services | Call 000 if you or someone is in immediate danger |
Legal Support
WIRE recognises that women and gender diverse people can face barriers to accessing legal support and can help connect you with trusted services that understand family violence.
| Nicholes Law | Website: https://nicholeslaw.com.au/ Phone: 03 9670 4122 |
| Victoria Legal Aid | Website: https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/ Phone: 1300 792 387 |
Family & Violence Support
| WIRE | Website: https://www.wire.org.au/ Phone: 1300 134 130 |
| The Orange Door (Family violence & child support) | Website: https://www.orangedoor.vic.gov.au/ |
| Family Relationship Advice Line (Help with relationships & separation) | Website: https://www.familyrelationships.gov.au/talk-someone/advice-line Phone: 1800 050 321 |
| 1800RESPECT (24/7 family violence counselling) | Website: https://1800respect.org.au/ Phone: 1800 737 732 |
| SafeSteps Family Violence Response Centre (Vic) | Website: https://safesteps.org.au/our-services/ Phone: 1800 015 188 |
| Raising Children Network (Parenting strategies, behaviour tips, and relationship resources) | Website: https://raisingchildren.net.au/ |
| The Line (Resources for young people and parents around respectful relationships and changing harmful behaviour) | Website: https://www.theline.org.au/ |
| Kids Helpline | Website: https://kidshelpline.com.au/ Phone: 1800 55 1800 |
| Victorian Sexual Assault Crisis Line | Phone: 1800 806 292 (after hours) / 03 8345 3494 (police/emergency) |
| CASA (Centre Against Sexual Assault) | Website: https://www.casahouse.com.au/contact-us Phone: 1800 806 292 |
| Victims of Crime Helpline (Vic) | Phone: 1800 819 817 |
Online Support
| eSafety Commissioner (Help with cyberstalking, image-based abuse, and online safety) | Website: esafety.gov.au |
| Wesnet (Provides free smartphone and tech safety training to women experiencing violence) | Website: https://wesnet.org.au/ Phone: 1800 937 638 |
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Support
| Yarning Safe’N’Strong Helpline (24/7 cultural wellbeing support) | Website: https://www.vahs.org.au/yarning-safenstrong/ Phone: 1800 959 563 (24/7) |
| 13YARN (Crisis support for mob) | Website: https://www.13yarn.org.au/ Phone: 13 92 76 (24/7) |
| Djirra (Support for Aboriginal women) | Website: https://djirra.org.au/ Phone: 1800 105 303 |
LGBTQIA+ Support
| QLife (LGBTQIA+ peer counselling) | Website: https://qlife.org.au/ Phone: 1800 184 527 |
Mental Health Support
| Australian Psychological Society (Find a registered psychologist) | Website: https://psychology.org.au/ Phone: 03 8662 3300 |
| Lifeline (24/7 crisis counselling) | Website: https://www.lifeline.org.au/ Phone: 13 11 14 (24/7) |
| Beyond Blue (Support for anxiety & depression) | Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ Phone: 1300 22 4636 |
| Better Place Australia (Counselling & family support) | Website: https://www.betterplaceaustralia.com.au/ Phone: 1800 639 523 |
Multicultural & Migration Support
| InTouch (Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence) | Website: https://intouch.org.au/ Phone: 1800 755 988 |
| My Blue Sky (Forced Marriage & Migration Exploitation) | Website: https://mybluesky.org.au/ Phone: 02 9514 8115 |
| Immigration Advice & Rights Centre | Website: https://iarc.org.au/ Phone: 02 8234 0700 |
| Australian Red Cross (Support for Trafficked People Program) | Website: https://www.redcross.org.au/migration/support-for-people-impacted-by-modern-slavery/ Phone: 03 9345 1800 |
| Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights | Website: https://amwchr.org.au/ Phone: 03 9481 3000 |
Financial Support
| Financial Independence Hub | Website: https://goodshep.org.au/services/fih/ Phone: 1300 050 150 |
| National Debt Helpline | Website: https://ndh.org.au/ Phone: 1800 007 007 |
| Centrelink Financial Information Service Officers | Website: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/financial-information-service-officers?context=21836 Phone: 132 300 |
Elder Support
| National Elder Abuse Helpline | Phone: 1800 353 374 |