Remove my attacker from his government funded housing. I'm not safe in my own home!

This petition made change with 2,927 supporters!

Dear Mr Foley,

I am writing to you about the intolerable and terrifying position I find myself in.

In 2013, I beat the odds and purchased my first home. Excitement quickly turned to fear, when I realised that my beloved home shares a wall with a DHHS property that contains a seemingly violent, mentally unstable man. After over a year of sleepless nights, due to disturbances, vandalism and arson (all of which were reported to police by multiple members of the community), my neighbour physically assaulted me. Unprovoked.

DHHS's response? Go back and let it happen again so we can establish a pattern of violent behaviour. Yes. Much to my disbelief, after over a year of begging them to help their own client, I was quite literally asked to subject myself to more physical violence.

I don't really need to point out that this is an utter disgrace, do I? Would you expect the women in your life to live with the undeniable danger that I do?

My home has been vacant since May of 2016. The mortgage still has to be paid, but my home is uninhabitable. Police are powerless. My assailant simply denies any allegations made against him. CCTV is well beyond my already overstretched budget and I am yet to find an affordable way to get this terrifying issue to court.

The man in question is quite obviously in dire need of mental health assistance and a much higher level of care and supervision. Under DHHS policy, it seems he is allowed to refuse such assistance, but can still be provided with a home and commit assault, arson, illegal occupation of private land, vandalism and disturbance of the peace.

Have you ever had to try to sleep, wondering if you'll burn alive before you wake? Or walk to your car in fear of being stabbed or beaten? Or wondered how many consecutive nights of lengthy noise disturbances you can endure before you are no longer able to perform your job? I have. Every day. With no foreseeable end in sight. These are not the thoughts of an alarmist. These concerns were then and continue now to be very real. Just yesterday, I visited my home to find the front window smashed and a fresh coat of spray paint menacingly adorning the property.

DHHS policies have facilitated the placement of a dangerously unwell man into the community. It is unacceptable that a more appropriate level of care is not provided for him. It is utterly abhorrent that I am expected to live in fear next door to my attacker. It seems no one can help me because our current laws and government policies dictate that this situation is perfectly acceptable.

Acceptable it most certainly is not. It's inhumane.

Today: Megan is counting on you

Megan Grant needs your help with “Martin Foley: Remove my attacker from his government funded housing. I'm not safe in my own home!”. Join Megan and 2,926 supporters today.