Ruah Centre for Women and Children
Welcome to the Angela Wright Bennett Centre
The Angela Wright Bennett Centre, founded through the Ruah Centre for Women and Children Project, is Australia’s first, state-of-the-art healing and recovery centre dedicated to supporting women and children affected by family and domestic violence.
The seven-story, purpose-built facility was designed in consultation with Aboriginal Women Elders, as well as Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women with lived experience of family and domestic violence to ensure it is a place where women and their children can be safe, where they will feel welcome, where they can heal and where they can start to rebuild their lives.
With 13 self-contained accommodation units, these have been designed as safe, short-term accommodation to provide the secure and private environment essential for recovery and healing.
Karlup Service
Home to Ruah’s Karlup Service the first service of its kind in Australia, dedicated to offering comprehensive recovery and healing supports for women and their children affected by family and domestic violence.
Karlup, a Noongar Aboriginal word meaning “a place where you belong and feel safe,” embodies the essence of the Karlup Service.
Women over 18 and their children can access a range of essential services under the same roof, including peer support from trained staff with lived experience, dedicated case managers (Koorta Guides), counselling for adults and children, legal assistance, bulk-billing general practice, dental care, alcohol and other drug support, employment and education training, financial aid, and housing support.
Tackling Family and Domestic Violence in Western Australia
Family and domestic violence (FDV) remains a pervasive issue across Australia, with one in four women experiencing violence during the 2021-22 financial year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Western Australia is particularly affected, with FDV-related assaults making up 64% of all recorded assaults in 2022—representing a 13% increase from the previous year. By 2023, WA Police reported a further surge in family assault offenses, which climbed 10% from 26,347 in 2022 to 29,432 cases. Despite decades of efforts, traditional crisis-response systems have often left survivors navigating complex, fragmented, and re-traumatising processes.
A Vision for Change
In response to these challenges, Ruah embarked on a bold journey five years ago create lasting change in the fight against FDV, leading to the creation of the Ruah Centre for Women and Children Project.
The Angela Wright Bennett Centre addresses gaps in services with an integrated, holistic model. As the first of its kind in Western Australia, it provides a safe, one-stop space offering compassionate, wrap-around support to help survivors find safety and healing.
Thank you to our sponsors
With the support of visionary philanthropists, government grants, and Ruah’s dedicated team, the first phase of this ambitious vision has become a reality. While celebrating this milestone, we acknowledge that much work remains in creating a community free from family and domestic violence. The innovative services and ongoing research supported by this centre will be transformational—empowering women, children, and families, and having a lasting positive impact on the Western Australian community.
This project has been made possible thanks to funding and support from the Australian Government Department of Social Services, the Government of Western Australia through the Department of Communities and Lotterywest; Australian Government Department of Social Services; Angela Wright Bennett Foundation; Brown-Neaves Investments; Busby Family Fund; Carcione Foundation; CFC Foundation; McCusker Charitable Foundation; Mineral Resources, Sisters of St John of God; Stan Perron Charitable Foundation; The Quercus Foundation; Ungar Family Foundation; and Wylie Foundation.