Matt Lonergan describes his work helping survivors of domestic violence to move out of their homes as a ‘full- love job’. Peninsula Living spoke to Matt about how his Movers Against Domestic Violence charity gets women back on their feet.
Trigger warning: This article details domestic violence.
When a mate called Forestville local Matt Lonergan a few years ago asking if he could help a friend move out of her home urgently, he started making calls. The corporate professional used to run a trucking business and called on a favour.
The scene they faced that day in her house has stayed with him forever.
“The blood was still at the bottom of the stairs where [the perpetrator] had thrown her,” he recalls. “She’d been in hospital and as soon as she got home, she needed to get out. So, we moved her out and put her stuff in storage.”
In NSW last year, there were 35,990 victims of domestic violence assault recorded by police, which was up three per cent since 2018.
Since it began seven years ago, Movers has become well known amongst frontline domestic violence services across Sydney. These services organise the move for women in need with Movers directly.
Matt’s Movers ‘risk rate’ every move, based on whether the perpetrator will be at the house. The charity pays a professional moving company – trained how to handle the situation – to take the woman’s (and often children’s) belongings to another house.
“I’m just one cog in the wheel of help,” Matt says.
“We focus on two things – safe escape and sustainable escape. ‘Sustainable escape’ is to keep them out of the domestic violence situation. We do what we can to take the financial pressure off of them, or to make that transition smoother so that they don’t feel the need to go back.”
Matt has a team of volunteers to help with administration, but otherwise he organises two to three moves a week – up to 100 a year – while working full-time running a project management consulting company.
“This is a full-love job,” he says.
“To be honest, there’s days I’m like, ‘Why do I do this?’ I’ve got a young family of my own and a business to run, but you know what? There’s a need. And until that need’s not there, I will continue doing what I do.”
While sometimes the reality of domestic violence is confronting, Matt says he can never look away.
“I look at the courage it takes for these women to escape, knowing that the perpetrator’s going to [try to] inflict serious damage or death on the way out, and [the women] are still willing to [try to leave]. That’s why I continue to do what I do.”
Matt does the occasional public speech to try and educate the community about domestic violence, including with schools. But says he doesn’t go looking for recognition.
Despite this, the father-of-two was nominated and declared a finalist for Chatswood Westfield’s Local Hero in 2022. The $5,000 prize money was used to pay for around 15 moves.
The next step for Movers is to get corporates to give excess items like televisions and fridges to women escaping violence.
“There are a lot of corporates that want to do it,” Matt says. “You just have to make it as seamless as possible for them.”
If you need help, call 1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732. To organise a move, go to movers.org.au.
