Testimonials
“Thank you so much for your assistance.
Without Project Respect I would not know
how to solve my financial hardship. I am really
grateful and appreciate you.”
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“I’m overwhelmed by your kindness. Thank
you Project Respect for always providing me
with resources and supports.”
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“I don’t know how to say thank you for
everything you helped me with. I’m so excited
because it’s the first time I will study English
here. Thank You Project Respect a lot, my new
life is better now.”
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"I can't thank you enough for all your kindness
and support you've given to me. You are such
an amazing person. You're not just doing a job,
you're an angel. Thank you "
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Women's Stories
Rebecca's* Story
I have been to Australia almost 5 years. I choose to come to Australia for study and work. I want to make my life success. I feel happy to help my family and myself. I got 14 years old, 5 years and 7 months sons. I was married last year with citizen in here. I was very happy and think that I choose a right person for married. Once I get married after not even 2 weeks he just disappear. He block my phone number and whatsapp. I met him at his restaurant after one week and he just ignore me... no response. I feel so sad. Everyday I be patient and wait for him but he didn't come back. I knew that I'm pregnant after 1 month and I let him know. Sending the viber text msg he read after that he block me straight away. I decide to go and meet up with his mum. So sad his mum try to hide him from me too. His mum tell that he not stay with his mum anymore and got new Vietnamese new girlfriend... young and pretty than me. I tell her that I'm pregnant now and I'm married with his son... I want to talk and meet his son. His mum ignored me too.
In this situation I really sad. I'm student and I don't have Medicare card to deliver my baby in here. Lucky I check student insurance which I bought was covered pregnancy and birth. Only doctor fees cost and I need to pay $3000+. I went to College and inform the college that I need to stop study because of my health condition. I not even finish my cert 4 in Commercial cookery. I can't work. I'm sick. My younger sister help me for money until I born the baby. Project Respect is the one of agency which is help me for financial and some other stuff before I delivery my baby. Until now, I always share my problems with Project Respect agency because this agency really good and look after me. I really appreciated.
Kim's Story*
Thank you for reaching me out , I was so hopeless and see no to help. I was so glad to your kindness and support. I am an overseas student, and I have been in Australia for about 3 years now. My life in foreign has never been easy. There are days when I have to doze off to bed empty stomach and suffer in pain and sickness when I can't afford medication. I thought I will never receive sunshine in my life. However, it all changed when I reached out for help to this wonderful organization called "Project Respect". The organization embrace me with open arms and wipe off my tears of sadness. It wasn't long enough when I realized that my life was about to change for good.
My mental health was deteriorated to severe condition, I wasn't able to work nor study nor focus on anything positive in my life. Fortunately, I got a big supportive hands reaching out to pull me from the darkness of my days. Project Respect not it acknowledged my circumstances without judgement but also assure me to assist is every possible manner. I got mental and emotional support that I was deprived from past 3 years. I got physical and financial aid required to sustain my life here in Australia. I also received psychology support from people who are not mine but accepted me as their own. I am so grateful for project Respect not just please it has assisted me in hard time but also because it has given hope for my life and sense of happiness in me. Thank you Project Respect and the team. I wish this organization will be able to assist more and more people like me in upcoming days.
Carly's Story*
Carly has a history of family violence, including childhood sexual abuse. She entered the sex industry at age 14, where she faced significant sexual exploitation, part of which was perpetrated by a family member. She travelled to Australia on a temporary visa to escape the violence and exploitation she had experienced. To financially support herself, Carly entered the Australian sex industry as this is the work she is familiar with. Carly lived in a share house where she experienced multiple sexual assaults from multiple perpetrators. These assaults led to a decline in her mental health and an eventual admission into hospital as an involuntary inpatient in a psychiatric unit. She was diagnosed with trauma induced psychosis. Project Respect was contacted by a service provider while Carly was in hospital. They were having difficulty getting Carly to speak. After numerous secondary consults, a Project Respect worker went to the hospital and stay with Carly. Eventually she opened up to the Project Respect worker. Carly was hospitalised for nearly 4 months, which subsequently left her homeless. Due to her visa status, she was either completely ineligible for services or only had limited access to supports. When discharged from hospital, Carly was unable to return to work in the sex industry and was socially isolated, was unable to financially support herself and had very few supports.
While she was a patient in hospital, Carly met John,* who she soon became intimate with. He asked her to move in with him and offered to financially support her and provide her with food. John offered to pay for her health insurance, which was required as a condition of her visa. Carly felt like this was her only survival option as she couldn’t access Government supports, and she moved in with John when she was discharged. John forced Carly to regularly have sex with him. He was also physically abusive towards her. Carly didn’t feel like she was able to report this abuse as she would be left homeless, in extreme financial hardship and at risk of deportation as she would be unable to pay her health insurance. John took advantage of Carly’s vulnerability and further exploited her. He would leave the house unlocked when he went to work. He arranged for men to enter the home and sexually assault Carly on a daily basis. She was gang-raped numerous times. John profited from these assaults. Carly endured these assaults for several weeks before she was able to build up the courage to leave the house when John was at work. Carly was engaged with a family violence service who were able to fund a motel for her for several nights. John attempted to find her, making persistent attempts to contact her and lure her back to the house. Carly was referred into various services including family violence, housing, legal and mental health supports. Project Respect provided case-coordination and ongoing emotional support for the woman.
*All names have been changed for privacy.