The initiative, which is now in its eighth year, aims to ensure that every woman and girl spending Christmas in a refuge or domestic violence shelter, receives the basic essentials – including pads and tampons, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, and soap – as well as little luxuries such as hair accessories or a handwritten note.
Share the Dignity called on residents to support women and girls in need this Christmas and donate a bag of everyday essentials and drop off it off at their local Bunnings last month.
With the rising cost of living, ongoing impacts from the pandemic, worsening domestic violence rates and displacement due to recent natural disasters exacerbating Australia’s homelessness crisis, donations are greatly needed – and although the #ItsInTheBag Christmas appeal has wrapped up, you can still donate at sharethedignity.org.au.
Share the Dignity Founder and Managing Director, Rochelle Courtenay, says they are now seeing the true impacts of the past few years, which sadly has meant that more vulnerable women and girls are looking for support than ever before.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 167,400 women and girls received assistance from specialist homelessness agencies in 2020-21, and 53 per cent had experienced family and domestic violence.
