Photo: Mayor Bilal El-Hayek with MWA representatives at expansion launch
Muslim Women Australia (MWA) has opened two new crisis accommodation sites in Revesby, adding 48 urgently needed beds for women and families escaping domestic, family, and sexual violence with a celebration on Tuesday 27 May joined by community leaders including Mayor Bilal El-Hayek of Canterbury-Bankstown.
The new sites adopt the NSW Government’s Core and Cluster model, which combines private, self-contained units (“cluster”) with shared communal spaces (“core”) and on-site support services including legal advice, employment assistance, and counselling.
This structure ensures that women and families are able to maintain personal routines while also having access to culturally safe support systems, affording them stability, dignity, and care.
MWA’s services aim to support a particular range of affected people, including women and children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, women with disabilities or those caring for children with disabilities, and older women at risk of homelessness.
MWA supports each client holistically and aims to meet their all of unique needs, including “cultural, spiritual, physical, emotional.”
This expansion is especially urgent in light of concerning statistics about violence experienced by CALD women. According to ANROWS (Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety), migrant and refugee women in Australia experience domestic and family violence at the same rate as the wider population, if not higher.
However, research by ANROWS highlights that migrant and refugee women in Australia face unique barriers to accessing domestic and family violence support services, including language difficulties, cultural stigma, and limited awareness of available resources.
MWA’s model seeks to dismantle these barriers by centring cultural responsiveness and community understanding. Their staff are trained in culturally sensitive care and offer services that support cultural practices such as shared cooking spaces and prayer areas, creating an environment where diverse women feel safe and heard.
Mayor El-Hayek praised the launch, stating it “honour[s] faith, culture, and the right to heal in safety.” He emphasised the importance of partnerships between community organisations and government in building a safer, more inclusive future for all.
With a 40-year legacy of advocacy and support, MWA’s latest expansion continues its longstanding mission to provide refuge, dignity, and empowerment to vulnerable women and families.
From 1 May 2025, MWA’s centralised referral line (02 9750 6916) will operate Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Crisis accommodation stays will typically range from 4 to 12 weeks depending on individual needs and case planning.
At a time when culturally diverse women face unique and compounding risks, MWA’s expanded services don’t just offer shelter, but deliver healing, hope, and a future free from violence.
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