When Sarah's* drunk partner threw her against a stove top, the sharp pain of her hands hitting the hot plates brought her the clarity to realise she had to get out.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But as the mother of a 13-year-old son with no money or support, the prospect of being homeless terrified her more than the man she feared might kill her.
"That is the worst fear in the world, especially when you have children. People would say 'why don't you leave' but it's not easy when they've got all of the money, and you've got nowhere to go," she said.
Sarah was no stranger to the duality of domestic violence.
As a child, she remembered her father playing lions and tigers with her in the living room after slamming the kitchen cabinet door on her mother's fingers over and over again.
She and her brother had turned up the volume on the television to drown out the screaming.
But it was on this night that she thought to herself if her partner was willing to do that to her while her son was in the house, what would he do when he wasn't.
She called the Domestic Violence Crisis Service, who told her to leave immediately.
"They just said 'pack up your stuff as much as you can, get your son and we'll meet you at Subway'," she said.
Sarah was holed up in a motel when she was put in touch with St Vincent de Paul. "My son thought it was like a holiday," she said.
The organisation found her temporary accommodation and assigned her a case worker who helped to settle Sarah and her son in Canberra.
Whatever they needed Vinnies provided, from a listening ear to second-hand furniture for their new home.
St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn president Warwick Fulton said Sarah's story was all too common.
He estimates about 12,000 women throughout the ACT and NSW are facing homelessness, many due to domestic violence.
About 4000 children in the ACT and NSW would experience homelessness before their 13th birthday, he said.
"The picture we have of homelessness is a man sleeping rough in the street but that's not the real face of homelessness," Mr Fulton said.
"Homelessness affects women and children to a much greater extent and they're generally not living rough in the streets, they're sleeping in their cars or on someone's couch or in a crisis centre. They're not visible to the general public but they are the real face of homelessness."
The charity, which has launched its 2016 winter appeal, will provide assistance to about 4000 people across the region this winter.
"Last year we had good support from the community, we raised $280,000 last year which was close to our target. We need $300,000 this year to help us to support thousands of families through the Canberra winter," Mr Fulton said
For Sarah, the support Vinnies gave her to start her life over was invaluable.
While her son still fears the dark, they are now safe and have a home to call their own.
"A lot of women out there feel so disempowered that they are scared to reach out but if they can just reach out, there'll be a hand to grab them," Sarah said.
"I didn't have to lift a finger. Everyone was lifting me."
*not her real name
To donate to St Vincent de Paul's Winter Appeal, visit vinnies.org.au or call 13 18 12.
