The launch of our new home in 2004

On Friday 7 November 2003 around 250 people filled our new shopfront offices to overflowing. They had gathered to celebrate the official opening of our new home and our 15th birthday.

The event began with a Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country by Wurundjeri Elder Joy Wandin Murphy. The building was officially opened by Mary Gillett, Parliamentary Secretary for Women's Affairs and Member for Tarneit. Also on show was an exhibition of art by young African women in our long-running GirlZone group.

Joy Wandin Murphy performs smoking ceremony Joy Wandin Murphy performs a smoking ceremony at the building launch.

Women's Health West was the state's first regional women's health service, opened by Health Minister David White on 29 September 1988. Since 1994 we have also housed what is now the region's largest program supporting women and children victims of family violence. Since opening, Women's Health West has grown from a staff of four to be Victoria's biggest women's health service, with around 30 staff and a budget of $1.7million.

"This is a tribute to the dedicated feminists who campaigned to set up the service in the mid-1980s, and to every woman – staff, member, client or volunteer – who has been part of the Women's Health West story since," said our Chair, Sue Finucane. "Now our new shop-front home will provide us with even more scope to reach out and make a difference ."

"Looking back, we've achieved so much," said CEO Melissa Afentoulis. "Last year alone we supported 616 women and 992 accompanying children who were experiencing family violence. We were part of the push for a fundamental recent shift in government policy, which recognised that health and wellbeing are determined not just by physiology, but by factors such as gender, age, ability, social isolation, ethnicity, sexuality and access to housing and employment."

FARREP Worker Fartun Farah (left) at the launch.

"We produce a plethora of resources for the community and our sector, many in community languages. We do diverse and innovative research and community development projects in areas such as gambling, family violence, parenting and health education for recently-arrived and other migrant communities, same-sex attracted women and women with disabilities."

Women enjoy the launch.

"Looking forward, there's still much to do," Melissa said. "Our region scores lowest on the ABS socio-economic table, and is getting poorer. Sole-parent households - most female-headed - are amongst the poorest, as are Indigenous and refugee families. Violence against women and children has not reduced, and services like ours are pressured by ever-increasing demand for support. Public housing is in constant crisis, with few housing options for women and children rebuilding their lives after escaping family violence. And we still don't have a federal women's health policy - leadership is desperately needed on a national level."

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