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The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) is on a mission to alleviate homelessness by addressing one of the main roots of the problem: gender-based violence.
The state real estate body shared the launch of a new program to help better identify and address family and domestic violence and ensure vulnerable tenants remain safe.
REIWA chief executive Cath Hart said the Family and Domestic Violence Community Response Training for Real Estate had been developed in consultation with OVIS Community Services.
“We know that family and domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children, so we’re proud to be supporting industry to respond if they identify this in tenancies,” she explained.
The course aims to educate property managers to provide greater assistance to tenants who may be victims of the societal issue.
“The new program will give property managers the tools to better recognise family and domestic violence in the course of their work. It will also give them guidance on how to respond and refer affected tenants to appropriate resources and support,” she stated.
The launch coincides with the start of 16 Days in WA, an annual state government campaign that runs from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) through to 10 December (Human Rights Day).
Taking inspiration from the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the statewide campaign aims to push for changes that will stop violence against women.
Ms Harth explained that while the institute currently delivers a tenancy program to help people make the transition from homelessness to independent living as a private rental tenant, the program is a way to step up their efforts.
“Ideally, though, we want to help prevent vulnerable people [from] becoming homeless in the first place. The safe tenancy FDV amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act have given tenants who are experiencing family and domestic violence more protection, and this training is another step in the right direction,” she said.
She also shared that there have been cases of property managers seeking support from REIWA on how to identify and respond if they encountered tenants who may be experiencing family and domestic violence.
“Through their regular property inspections, a property manager may be one of the few people to visit someone experiencing family and domestic violence in their home,” she said.
Ms Hart added that by overseeing the property, managers could identify indicators of a potential family and domestic violence situation, such as unpaid rent and property damage.
The rollout of the campaign comes in the wake of the passing of the Respect@Work Bill, a legislation that it hopes will ensure “women are able to earn a living in safe, sexual harassment-free workplaces”.
With the launch of the program, REIWA is the latest property institution to step up to the plate and join the push to end domestic and family violence.
To mark the start of the 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence on 26 November, over 70 prominent buildings were lit up purple — a colour widely used to represent those who have been impacted by domestic and family violence, including those that have lost their lives — in collaboration with the Property Champions of Change.
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