An innovative new research initiative aims to drive systemic change and better support victim survivors of family violence across the country. 

Launched today, Safety Measures will measure specialist domestic and family violence service need, accessibility and effectiveness. 

Every person experiencing domestic or family violence in Australia should be able to access the support and safety that they need, when they need it. 

But no government, entity or agency currently has a full, accurate sense of the scale and nature of support needed across the country or the service system’s capacity to meet this. 

Recent reports to Parliament, including the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission’s first yearly report and the Australian Government’s Rapid Review of Prevention Approaches, highlighted how critical service measurement and data capability are to driving policy reform, strengthening system accountability and directing investment where it is most needed. 

In an Australian-first, Safety Measures will develop and test approaches for measuring the need, demand, supply, capacity and impact of specialist domestic and family violence services, using the data collected to tell a more nuanced story of what people experiencing family violence need from specialist services. 

The program will also help create an evidence-base for governments to better invest in specialist services, who do the critical work of keeping families safe from violence. 

Created by and for the specialist domestic and family violence sector and funded by the Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF), the program is represented by a partnership between six organisations across the Northern Territory, South Australia and Victoria: Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory, Elizabeth Morgan House, Embolden South Australia, Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council, Northern Territory Council of Social Services, and Safe and Equal. 

These organisations represent more than 100 specialist domestic and family violence service providers, which employ more than 1200 practitioners and support thousands of women, children, families and communities each year.  

Described as a ‘stepping-stone’ initiative, the approaches developed in the program will be able to be expanded across the country to form a national picture. 

“Domestic and family violence is experienced by Australians from all walks of life, from all corners of the country –  and yet, there is no full, accurate picture of the scale or nature of support needed by people experiencing violence, or the service system’s capacity to meet this,” said Mary Leaker, General Manager of Embolden South Australia. 

“While we know that support services are stretched and overwhelmed, and victim survivors are waiting weeks for a response in some regions, we don’t have the clear data and evidence to improve system and service design on a large scale,” said Tania Farha, CEO of Safe and Equal. 

“We can’t properly address what we can’t accurately measure – which is why the Safety Measures program is critical,” said Ms Farha. 

“Nationally, data collection in this space has been siloed and fragmented, and doesn’t articulate the true number of how many women and children are experiencing family violence, or specifically how they are impacted,” said Kalina Morgan-Wyman, CEO of Elizabeth Morgan House. 

Three of the program’s participating organisations are Aboriginal community-controlled organisations and three are non-Aboriginal peak bodies, representing a diverse range of services. 

“Each state and territory has different policy landscapes, government structures and service delivery contexts, so to make sense of data across jurisdictions has always been a challenge. This is the first time Australia has had a program like this, led by the family and domestic violence sector and spanning across jurisdictions, which is really exciting,” said Dr John Paterson, Chair of the Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT Aboriginal Corporation (APONT). 

“It’s vital the Northern Territory is included. Our service landscape and community contexts are unique, and national solutions must reflect that. Safety Measures will help ensure the realities of the NT inform policy, investment and responses that lead to lasting, meaningful change.” said Claire Pirrett, Policy Manager at the Northern Territory Council of Social Services (NTCOSS). 

“Through this important initiative, we are strengthening Australia’s data and evidence base to ensure future funding decisions are better targeted and more impactful for families,” said PRF CEO Professor Kristy Muir. “Safety Measures will give us a clearer picture of what’s really happening and lay the groundwork for smarter investment in this critical area.” 

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Media Contact: 

Louise Simms, National Program Director
louisesimms@safetymeasures.org.au
0450 081 547 

About Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory 

Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory (APO NT) is an alliance of eight Aboriginal-led entities working together to address key issues affecting Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. 

About Elizabeth Morgan House 

Elizabeth Morgan House Aboriginal Women’s Services is the peak body in Victoria for Aboriginal women, advising peak Aboriginal organisations, governments and non-government. 

About Embolden 

Embolden is South Australia’s peak body for domestic, family, and sexual violence services representing 28 member organisations.  

About Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council 

Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council is an Anangu led organisation delivering health, social and cultural services across 26 remote communities in the cross-border region of Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. 

About Northern Territory Council of Social Services 

The Northern Territory Council of Social Services (NTCOSS) is the peak body for the social and community sector in the NT representing around 110 member organisations across diverse service areas. 

About Safe and Equal 

Safe and Equal is Victoria’s peak body for organisations addressing family and gender-based violence across prevention, intervention, response, and recovery, representing around 70 specialist service providers. 

Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV), COTA Victoria, and Safe and Equal have launched a new partnership to build the capacity of The Orange Door and specialist family violence sector across Victoria in recognising and responding to elder abuse.

Supported by funding from the Victorian Government’s Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, the organisations will deliver the Elder Abuse Capability Development Program over a two-year collaboration. Announced today by the Honourable Ingrid Stitt MP, Victorian Minister for Ageing, this initiative will equip staff with the skills and knowledge needed to take action against elder abuse.

Forming the core of the partnership, Seniors Rights Victoria and Safe and Equal will use their subject matter expertise in elder abuse and family violence prevention and intervention to develop and deliver tailored training and resources to approximately 1,400 employees of The Orange Door, alongside specialist family violence case managers.

“Safe and Equal is proud to be part of this vital initiative. Older people experiencing family violence often face unique barriers in accessing safety and support and it’s critical that our frontline workforce is equipped with the skills and confidence to address these complexities,” said Safe and Equal CEO Tania Farha.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to an inclusive family violence support system that ensures all victim survivors – regardless of their age or stage in life – can access the tailored support they need, when they need it.”

 

The most recent study of elder abuse prevalence in Australia has found that 1 in 6 Australians aged 65 years and over had experienced at least one recognised form of elder abuse over the previous 12 months.

“This program will be a key part in ensuring that the family violence system can meet the needs of elder abuse victim survivors,” said CEO of Seniors Rights Victoria and COTA Victoria, Ben Rogers.

“Elder abuse is a unique, often overlooked form of family violence, and it’s crucial that we provide those working in the sector with the tools required to intervene or prevent it from occurring.”

 

Minister Stitt’s announcement of this partnership was part of the launch of Seniors Rights Victoria’s Beyond Age project, which seeks to challenge ageism – one of the key drivers of elder abuse.

“We’re extremely excited to partner with Safe and Equal and pool our expertise to provide better outcomes for specialists and the older Victorians they support, and to have it announced as we gather to observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2025,” Mr Rogers continued.

 

If you are in Victoria and experiencing elder abuse, help is available through Seniors Rights Victoria’s confidential helpline on 1300 368 821. Its website, seniorsrights.org.au, also features resources for concerned friends or family members.

For nationwide assistance, and to access additional resources in 20 different languages, please contact the Australian Human Rights Commission on 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374).

If it is an emergency, call 000.

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Further context

• The most recent study of elder abuse prevalence in Australia found that 1 in 6 people 65 years and over had experienced at least one recognised form of elder abuse over the previous 12 months.
• This suggests that 160,000 older Victorians are reporting that they have experienced elder abuse each year, demonstrating the clear need for training and supports.
• Elder abuse comes in many forms. It can be financial, emotional, psychological, physical, sexual, or social. Elder abuse can occur once or many times and can vary in severity from subtle through to extreme and can include one or a combination of the different types of abuse.
• Elder abuse is most often perpetrated by someone known to and trusted by the older person, such as family members, relatives, or friends, with two thirds of reported elder abuse being perpetrated by the adult children of an older person.
• Elder abuse affects people of all genders and all walks of life. The abuse, however, disproportionately affects women – two-thirds of people seeking help from SRV are women.
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and LGBTQIA+ communities are additionally vulnerable to elder abuse, as are older people living in rural and regional communities.
• In 2023/24, the SRV helpline received a total of 12,356 calls, with advocates able to make contact and assist 3,556 callers with 5,131 unique issues.
• SRV data from 2023/24 indicates that 58% of alleged perpetrators of elder abuse are the adult children of the victim-survivor.
• The average number of days a case remained open was 538 days, with the longest closed case running totalling 1,259 days (almost 3.5 years). Due to the increasing complexity of matters, we are experiencing a greater volume of cases spanning longer periods of time.

For further information

Steve Wright
Marketing and Communications Manager
Seniors Rights Victoria & COTA Victoria
Telephone: +61 3 9655 2159
Email: communications@cotavic.org.au

Steph Jones
Communications Manager
Safe and Equal
Telephone: +61 3 9921 0897
Email: media@safeandequal.org.au

About Us

Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV) is the key state-wide service dedicated to advancing the rights of older people and the early intervention into, or prevention of, elder abuse in our community. It is the only Community Legal Centre dedicated to preventing and responding to elder abuse within Victoria.

SRV has a team of experienced advocates, lawyers, and social workers who provide free information, advice, referral, legal advice, legal casework, and support to older people who are either at risk of or are experiencing elder abuse. SRV supports and empowers older people through the provision of legal advice directly to the older person.

https://seniorsrights.org.au | https://weaad.org.au

Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria is the leading not-for-profit organisation representing the interests and rights of people aged over 50 in Victoria. For over 70 years, we have led government, corporate and community thinking about the positive aspects of ageing in the state.

Today, our focus is on promoting opportunities for and protecting the legal rights of people 50+. We value ageing and embrace its opportunities for personal growth, contribution, and self-expression. This belief drives benefits to the nation and its states alongside communities, families, and individuals.

https://cotavic.org.au

Safe and Equal is the peak body for Victorian organisations that specialise in family and gender-based violence across the continuum, including primary prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery. We are an independent, non-government organisation.

Our work prioritises the safety of all people experiencing, recovering from or at risk of family and gender-based violence.

While we know that most family violence is perpetrated by men against women and children, we recognise that family violence impacts people across a diversity of gender identities, social and cultural contexts, and within various intimate, family, and other relationships.

We apply an intersectional feminist lens in our work to address the gendered drivers of violence, and how these overlap and intersect with additional forms of violence, oppression, and inequality.

https://safeandequal.org.au