Stacy Jane survives domestic violence to help other women fleeing abuse with Escabags idea
Stacy Jane spent three-and-a-half years trapped in a violent relationship — monitored, controlled, and living in fear.
Her texts were constantly watched, bank transactions tracked, her car bugged, even household objects turned into recording devices.
Despite knowing it was wrong, she felt she couldn't leave.
'He made my world very, very small, there was no way I could just leave,' Jane told 7NEWS.com.au.
'The worse he treated me, the more I needed him to make me feel better.'
It wasn't until she was on a cruise around New Zealand that things began to change after an Australian family on the same ship sensed something was wrong.
After she was violently attacked again, they invited her to stay with them for the rest of the trip.
When the cruise ended, Jane returned to the UK and tried to escape the relationship for good.
But he tracked her down again.
Out of options and terrified, Jane called that same family, and they simply replied: 'Come home, bub.'
That's how Jane's journey led her to Australia, where everything began to change.
Now, the 36-year-old is the founder and CEO of Escabags, a charity that provides women experiencing domestic violence with 'Escape Bags' to help them flee better prepared — something Jane wishes she had when she escaped, as it could have made her journey safer.
'I had to go back in to try and get some of my things, and it was at that point I nearly lost my life,' she recalled.
'If I'd had an escape bag, I wouldn't have had to be inside his home at that point.
'Had he had his hands around my neck a little bit longer, I wouldn't have survived.'
Drawing from her own experience, the Escape Bags contain essential items such as toiletries, period products, a mini first aid kit, shampoo, a face cloth, and a personal safety alarm.
For those fleeing with children, the bags also include nappies and comfort items like a teddy bear.
Each bag also contains a new SIM card, provided in partnership with Optus, to allow safe and untraceable communication.
The bags are designed to be grabbed quickly when victims leave, so they don't have to return to collect essentials.
The free Escape Bags are available from participating Optus retail stores across Australia.
Anyone, whether or not they are an Optus customer, can walk in and ask for an Escape Bag with no questions asked.
Since launching in 2020, Escabags has distributed more than 18,000 bags across Australia, supported by over 2000 stockists.
According to a 2024 report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, one in four Australian women has experienced domestic violence from a partner.
Jane said demand for Escape Bags has surged since the end of Covid, with more than 400 bags now delivered across the country each week.
With the first State of Origin kicking off, and a 2018 NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research revealing domestic violence rates jumped 40 per cent when the game is on, her business is more important than ever.
Despite being diagnosed with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD), Jane said her story was a powerful reminder of the impact kindness from strangers can have.
'Now, the only thing I've ever wanted to do in Australia is keep other people safe — just like this country kept me safe when I was in that dangerous situation,' she said.
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