published 22 Aug 2025
ING partners with Women’s Community Shelters to support Women and Children experiencing Domestic and Family Violence
ING is proud to announce its role as a Major Partner of Women’s Community Shelters (WCS), directly funding programs that provide safety and support to women and children across Australia who are experiencing domestic and family violence, coercive control and financial and tech-facilitated abuse.
This partnership, which commenced in July 2025, is a flagship initiative of ING’s Social Impact Strategy in Australia, and will enable WCS to expand its reach and impact through vital services and safe havens.
Expanding support and empowering communities
Through ING’s funding, Women’s Community Shelters will be able to:
- Expand essential services: Support the creation of new crisis shelters and safe havens across NSW and Victoria, providing immediate safety and stability for women, and women with children experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
- Empower victim survivors: Enhance outreach programs to support women overcoming abuse and exploitation, including financial and technological abuse. ING and WCS will also co-develop initiatives to help prevent financial and tech-facilitated abuse, tailored for ING team members, customers and their communities.
- Activate the ING community: Engage ING customers and employees in volunteering, advocacy and fundraising opportunities throughout the year.
Women’s Community Shelters Chair of the Board, Annabelle Daniel, comments on the partnership:
“At Women’s Community Shelters, we see financial abuse present in the experience of almost all women we support. It’s insidious and often hidden, and it traps women in cycles of dependence and fear. Our support for women and children is more than a safe haven from domestic and family abuse; we provide the tools, support, and resources they need to rebuild their lives with strength and dignity. We are proud to welcome ING to walk alongside us. Thank you, ING, for understanding the urgency of this issue and for taking meaningful action. Together, we will be saving lives – and changing them for the better.“
About Women’s Community Shelters
Women’s Community Shelters (WCS) partners with local communities to establish and operate crisis accommodation for women and children experiencing domestic violence or homelessness. Each shelter is developed in collaboration with local stakeholders to meet area-specific needs, and the model is designed to be scalable and sustainable.
WCS receives limited government funding and relies significantly on philanthropic support and community contributions to maintain and grow its network. Since it was founded in 2013, WCS has supported the development of multiple shelters across New South Wales, helping thousands of women access safety, support services, and pathways to stable housing.
For more information regarding Women’s Community Shelters, visit their website.
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About ING
ING is Australia’s most recommended bank according to RFI Global’s Consumer Atlas Survey, January – June 2025 (n = 29,510) when compared to customers of the 10 largest ADIs operating in Australia. ING is Australia’s fifth largest main financial institution (MFI) with 5% of market share according to RFI Global’s Consumer Atlas Survey, January – June 2025 (n = 29,510). MFI is defined as the bank that the consumer says is their main financial institution.
Information is current as at the date of publication and is subject to change.
ING is a business name of ING Bank (Australia) Limited ABN 24 000 893 292 AFSL 229823, Australian Credit Licence 229823.
About Women’s Community Shelters
Women’s Community Shelters (WCS) believes in a world where every woman and child flourishes free from abuse. Women’s Community Shelters works with communities to provide accommodation, safety and support for women and their children impacted by homelessness and domestic and family violence, and to break the cycle of abuse by transforming communities from within.
Across NSW, Women’s Community Shelters runs crisis shelters, supported temporary, medium and longer-term accommodation, large-scale transitional housing properties for older women, social and affordable housing, and wraparound support services to help women heal and rebuild their lives free from violence.
In 2024 Women’s Community Shelters assisted over 1,600 women and children seeking safety, providing more than 66,975 safe bed nights. Across NSW high schools, Women’s Community Shelters deliveredWalk the Talk, a program educating over 4,200 high school students about domestic and family violence and empowering them to support their local women’s shelter. Women’s Community Shelters is an advocate for system-wide change to build a world where women and children are safe, secure, supported and equal.
Help Women’s Community Shelters run and create more safe havens here. Together we can save lives.
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All information in the ING Newsroom is accurate at the time of publication.