FUNDING FOR THE WITNESS TO WAR HOTLINE

The NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) has welcomed a $3.6 million Federal Government investment to ensure the Witness to War (W2W) hotline can respond to the sustained needs of the community for the next two years.

This significant funding injection will allow W2W to return to full national capacity, providing free, culturally safe, and trauma-informed mental health support to Australians impacted by overseas conflicts.

Since its inception in late 2023, the hotline has received more than 3,840 calls, providing immediate assistance to individuals grappling with the compounding trauma of global instability.

Restoring a critical national service

The funding ensures the service, which briefly operated nationally via the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT), and has since continued to operate in NSW on a more limited basis can once again remove geographic barriers for survivors across all states and territories.

STARTTS CEO Jorge Aroche thanked the Federal Government for the critical funding, noting it would sustain the organisation’s ability to meet the unique “Witness to War” phenomenon.

“STARTTS welcomes the Government’s recognition that global events have profound local consequences,” said Mr Aroche. “This investment acknowledges the role our hotline plays not only as a first point of call for people in crisis, but as a culturally specific gateway that refers help-seekers onto long-term clinical and psychosocial support.”

“For many Australians with ties to conflict zones, the war isn’t just on the news, it is happening to their families. The recent tragic antisemitic terror attack in Bondi brings this level of horror to our midst, affecting the community at large, but even more so those with previous experiences of similar traumatic events. This funding ensures that when they reach out for help, there is someone on the other end who speaks their language and understands their pain.”

Meeting the surge in demand 

Jamila Padhee, National Coordinator of FASSTT, said the investment would ensure the service remains agile and responsive to future global crises.

“During our initial national operation, we saw that trauma does not respect state borders,” said Ms Padhee. “Callers from Perth to Queensland reached out for support. This funding restores equitable access to specialised care, ensuring that a survivor in a regional town has the same access to culturally safe support as someone in a major city.”

Service Details: The Witness to War hotline is available Monday to Friday, 10 am – 7 pm AEST (except on public holidays). Call 1800 845 198.

MEDIA CONTACT: 

• Nehad Kenanie, PR & Communications Officer
• Nehad.Kenanie@health.nsw.gov.au | 0401 646 412

About STARTTS:

The NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) has been providing services to survivors of torture and refugee trauma in NSW for over 35 years. It provides culturally appropriate services to help people recover from torture and refugee trauma, foster their empowerment and self-determination, and rebuild their lives in Australia. STARTTS also fosters a positive, effective and culturally sensitive recovery environment through the delivery of training to services that work with refugee populations, advocacy and policy work. STARTTS has worked with over 95,000 clients since commencing in 1988. In recognition of the complex impact of trauma on brain development, STARTTS continues to prioritise children and young people.