About Starick
Who we are
Starick is an independent, not for profit organisation with charitable status based in Perth's south-eastern metropolitan region and working to end family and domestic violence.
Starick supports women, children and young people experiencing family and domestic violence, whether the abuse is from a current or former partner, another family member, or someone within the household.
Our experienced and compassionate team provides crisis and ongoing support, advocacy, information and practical assistance to help individuals and families improve their safety, wellbeing and independence. We work alongside clients to identify their needs, navigate challenges and access the support they need to rebuild their lives.
In addition to our direct services, we connect clients with a range of community resources and specialist services, ensuring they receive coordinated support tailored to their circumstances. Through a person-centred, trauma-informed approach, Starick empowers women, children and young people to move forward with safety, dignity and hope.
Our Purpose
Starick’s purpose is to keep women, children, and young people safe and stand together to champion the prevention of family and domestic violence to reduce its impact on the community in Western Australia.
Our Values
Passion
Respect
Diversity
Commitment
Professionalism
Integrity
Our Vision
Starick’s vision is to build futures free from violence for the women, children and young people who use our service and for the community as a whole.
Our Team
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Starick is committed to building futures free from violence for women and children and contributing to a safer, more inclusive community for all.
We value diversity and are dedicated to providing equitable, accessible and culturally safe services. We welcome and support people of all backgrounds, cultures, languages, abilities, genders, sexualities, faiths and identities.
We are committed to ensuring that all people are treated with dignity, respect and fairness, and that our services are responsive to the diverse needs of our community.
Since 1985, Starick has been providing support, safety and hope to women, children and young people affected by family and domestic violence
Celebrating 40 Years of Starick Services 2025
Ernestine Henrietta Starick (1851-1941)
The Starick name comes from Ernestine Henrietta Starick, a remarkable woman whose courage and resilience continue to inspire our work today.
Born in Germany, Ernestine emigrated to Australia with her family in 1862 at just 11 years old. She married Christian Starick in 1871 and together they had 12 children. Behind closed doors, however, Ernestine endured years of family violence.
After more than two decades of abuse, Ernestine made the brave decision to leave. In 1901, she fled Victoria with her children and travelled to Western Australia in search of safety and a new beginning. Like many women escaping violence today, she faced significant challenges finding secure housing and support.
Eventually settling in Gosnells, Ernestine built an independent life as a respected midwife, delivering babies throughout Gosnells, Maddington, Southern River and Canning Vale for more than 20 years. She became a well-known and trusted member of the local community and was proud to say she never lost a mother during childbirth.
Despite the social and legal barriers faced by women at the time, Ernestine worked hard to secure a future for herself and her family. She remained separated from her husband and lived a long life, passing away in 1941 at the age of 89.
Ernestine’s story is one of strength, determination and hope. At a time when women had few rights and little support, she found the courage to leave an abusive relationship and create a better future for herself and her children.
Today, her legacy lives on through Starick and our commitment to supporting women, children and young people experiencing family and domestic violence. She remains a powerful symbol of survival, resilience and the possibility of a life free from violence.
Our History
Official opening of Starick House.
Joint production with Curtin University of 30 minutes video to increase awareness of domestic violence (DV) in the community.
Inception of HOWIC (Housing of Women in the Community). Purchase of three units in the local area.
Pilot of 10-week support groups with Stirling Women’s Refuge.
Piloting of a DV Intervention Project in the Armadale police region.
- Official launch of Armadale Domestic Violence Intervention Project (ADVIP)
- HOWIC – purchase of two more properties.
SPEARS Court Support Program relocated to Armadale Police Station - first not for profit organisation in Australia to provide a DV outreach service within a police station.
SPEARS funded by the Department for Community Development.
Commenced provision of counselling services to women experiencing family and domestic violence (FDV).
Funded by Department of Housing and Works to renovate/build Starick refuge.
Starick took over the management of Mary Smith Night Shelter.
Development of “Strengthening the Heart” Project.
Establishment of Outreach service under the SPEARS Program for families leaving refuges in the South East Metro Corridor.
Family and Domestic Violence Advocate based at Cannington Police Station.
Family and Domestic Violence Advocate based at Gosnells Police Station.
Counselling services relocated to Gosnells Community Lotteries House.
HOWIC – securing of two more properties.
Agreement with Access Housing to provide accommodation and outreach services to the Eudoria Street Cluster Project.
New buildings added to Mary Smith Centre with funding from the Department of Housing.
Starick Services Inc. restructured into the Centre for Non-Violence, Centre for Community and Centre for Safety and Wellbeing.
Funded by Department for Child Protection (DCP) to operate the Laverton Crisis Intervention Service.
(Funded by DCP under the ‘Reconnecting Rural and Remote’ program to manage the Family and Domestic Violence Case Management and Coordination Services for the Murchison/Gascoyne, Goldfields, and West/East Kimberley regions.)
Refurbishment of Starick House with funding from Lotterywest.
Funded to provide the "Safe at Home" service.
Awarded funding by the DCP for the role of Lead Agency for the East Metro corridor to provide 24/7 response to women and children at imminent risk of harm.
Starick Op Shop holds its first giant garage sale and raises over $1,000
Commencement of playground refurbishment at both refuges.
Refurbishment with funding support from Lotterywest and 40th Birthday of Mary Smith Refuge.
Lived Experience Stories
The women in these moving but challenging stories are real people. However, their names have been changed to protect their identity. Some women have shared their stories at our events, and some have gone on to become passionate advocates for family and domestic violence.
Ways Starick Can Support You
Starick is a charity supporting women and children escaping domestic and family violence. We work predominantly in Perth’s south-eastern metropolitan region. Our vision is to build futures free from violence for the women and children who use our service and for the community as a whole.
Crisis Accommodation for Women and Children
Starick’s Mary Smith Refuge and Starick House offer short-term crisis accommodation for women and children who need a safe place to stay.
Mobile Outreach
Starick’s Mobile Outreach supports women and children living in the community, who are experiencing family and domestic violence and are unable or unwilling to access refuge accommodation.
Safe at Home
Starick’s Safe at Home Program is designed to help women and children experiencing domestic or family violence to stay safely in their homes after separation from their abuser.
Support in Police Stations
Our Domestic Violence Advocates are based at local police stations and offer an advocacy service, safety planning and case management with court support.
Domestic Violence Counselling
Starick’s counselling service can be accessed by women and children staying in a Starick refuge. Counselling is also available to women affected by FDV in the community.
GP Link
GP-Link is a partnership between Starick and Anglicare WA, delivered through the Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence (FDSV) Primary Care Integration Pilot.
Children and Young People
Starick is committed to creating and maintaining a Child Safe organisation in accordance with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. We foster a culture, implement strategies, and take actions that promote the wellbeing of children and young people and protect them from harm
WA Respectful Relationships Teaching Support Program
Starick is delivering the Western Australian Respectful Relationships Teaching Support Program to primary and secondary public schools across Western Australia.
WA Respectful Relationships in Sport and Recreation Program (RRSRP)
Starick’s Respectful Relationships Sport and Recreation program recognises this enormous potential for sport and recreation organisations to inform positive cultural change.
Workwise Women
Workwise Women is a supportive volunteering program for women who have experienced family and domestic violence.
Workplace Awareness
Family and domestic violence (FDV) affects every aspect of an employee’s life, including work. Managers and team leaders play a critical role in creating a safe, supportive environment.
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All of Starick’s services and programs are made possible through our fundraising efforts, donations, and in-kind support from individuals, community organisations, and corporate partners.
