News and
sector updates

To commemorate this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign, we wanted to explore the concept of hope in family violence work. To support this, we asked colleagues from across the sector to share what hope looks like to them, and how they maintain hope in their work to end family and gender-based violence.

Safe and Equal CEO Tania Farha explains what family violence can look like and gives us 6 tips for supporting our loved ones who may be experiencing abuse.

Safe and Equal stands in solidarity with First Nations peoples and supports the call for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.

Learn more about Victorian Disability Family Violence Crisis Response Initiative and the disability support provided by Safe Steps.

This year, Are You Safe at Home? Day amplified the need for a cultural shift across all workplaces, to destigmatise conversations about family violence at work and to provide the tools and skills to recognise the signs of family violence and respond safely. 

Read this month’s Partners in Prevention network member spotlight on Sam House from City of Kingston, and her vital work with Active Kingston, supporting local clubs to promote gender equality and diversity, including through upcoming initiatives with Proud2Play.

Safe and Equal’s Kate Mecham and Courtney Wamala take us through the ingredients of Victoria’s full system approach to assist victim survivors to remain safely in their homes, with spotlights on the Personal Safety Initiative and the Flexible Support Packages programs.

Safe and Equal’s Executive Director of Policy, Communications and Engagement, Louise Simms, explores why Safe at Home responses are critical to meet the unique needs of every person experiencing abuse and can promote autonomy and choice on the road to recovery. 

Safe and Equal’s Executive Director of Primary Prevention, Marina Carman, takes us through the results of the Personal Safety Survey (PSS) and National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS), why they are important, and the data gaps that remain.

This International Women’s Day, we are moving beyond morning teas to spotlight the work going on across the year to bring the gendered issues that women experience to light.  

This week is Ochre Ribbon Week, an Aboriginal-led advocacy campaign running each year from 12 until 19 February.

You may have seen it on the news or heard about it at work: the Australian Government has introduced 10 days paid domestic and family violence leave into the National Employment Standards.

Safe and Equal and Elizabeth Morgan House partnered for this year’s Midsumma Carnival, working together to raise awareness and increase safety and support for all people who may be experiencing family violence. 

Safe and Equal’s Member Forum – hosted on 27 and 28 September – is an annual opportunity for our sector to come together, step back, reflect, listen, and set the vision we want to see for the future of our sector.

Read this month’s Partners in Prevention network member spotlight on Starlady about her work in driving LGBTIQA+ prevention programs at Zoe Belle Gender Collective.

For each of the 16 Days of Activism, we’ll be sharing a range of resources from local, national, and international organisations working to eliminate family and gender-based violence.

Read this month’s Partners in Prevention network member spotlight on Jodie Leahy about her work in driving gender equity advocacy at Nillumbik Shire Council.

According to a new report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 3.6 million Australians have experienced emotional abuse from a partner.

In an op-ed for Parity, Safe and Equal’s Policy Manager Kate Mecham writes of the interconnections between pregnancy, homelessness and family violence.

In the last week of June, the Fast Track prevention program held their end-of-program forum and final workshop for round 3.

This National Reconciliation Week, we are reminded that we need to ‘Be brave. Make change.’ Hear from Kalina Morgan-Whyman, CEO, Elizabeth Morgan House Aboriginal Women’s Service Inc.

Saturday 28 May is LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Day – a chance to increase visibility of domestic violence in LGBTIQA+ communities.

Today is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia, also known as IDAHOBIT.

Today (May 10) is Are You Safe At Home? Day – a chance to start a conversation to end family violence.

Last week, Safe and Equal held their end-of-program forum and final workshop for round 3 of the Fast Track Response program.

Safe and Equal is excited to announce Maria Dimopoulos AM has been appointed Board Chair, commencing in February 2022.

As we commence our second year of working with the Expert Advisory Panel, it is timely to reflect on how we have implemented principles of the Experts by Experience Framework in our organisation, and what we have learned along the way.

Read a wrap up of Safe and Equal’s ‘Responding to Children and Young People’s Experience of Family Violence’ Forum, held on 10 November 2021.

Safe and Equal has partnered with seven specialist organisations to develop a suite of practitioner resources to support tailored and inclusive responses to family violence occurring across diverse communities and contexts.

As the Victorian government gears up to release the 2022 state budget, Safe and Equal is calling for an urgent uplift in funding to secure a sustainable footing for the specialist family violence services sector.

We all have a part to play in preventing and responding to family violence this holiday season, by looking out for friends, family and neighbours, and knowing what action to take if we are concerned someone may be experiencing abuse.

Read these key updates and links regarding Victorian emergency management, including the revised State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP), SEMP roles and responsibilities and the new Emergency Recovery Resource Portal.

As we wrap up the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence grassroots initiative, the need to Respect Women: Call it Out continues. We thank our partners in advocacy and look forward to next year’s campaign.

Fast Track enabled me to consolidate my learnings and strengthen the theory that supports my work. It has provided an opportunity for me to learn from experts and think about how to apply learnings into my own practice.

My confidence has grown throughout the Fast Track program, and I understand how to advocate on behalf of myself, my team, programs, and people in the community using evidence and data.

DV Vic and DVRCV have united to form Safe and Equal, Victoria’s peak body for family and gender-based violence.

Family violence survivor advocate Rebeca Carro shares her journey of pregnancy and infant loss.

16 Days of Activism, expanding conversation and building momentum

Everything you need to know about the Women’s Safety Summit.

CEO Tania Farha reports on the National Summit on Women’s Safety.

Practitioner Profile: Libby Jamieson from Switchboard

Practitioner Profile: Madeleine from Annie North

We recently spoke with Nitika, an Intake and Assessment Worker at Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre, about her role.

Developed by Social Ventures Australia and organisations in the family violence sector, a new set of resources has been developed that highlight the benefits of integrated service delivery.

We recently spoke to DV Vic and DVRCV’s Sector Development Advisor, Renae Leverenz about the upcoming rollout of Recommendation 209 from the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence.

DVRCV’s CEO Emily Maguire responds to the recent commentary that specialist family violence practitioners and advocates are not doing enough to end violence against women.

Learn about a recent university graduate’s rewarding pathway entry into the family violence sector.

The response from DVRCV and Domestic Violence Victoria on the Report released 1 April

Why we need a primary prevention approach to trans women’s experiences of intimate partner violence.

Supporting people across Australia sharing their experiences of sexual violence.

DV Vic and DVRCV welcome the public release of the final report of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and the commitment made by the Victorian Government to implement the 65 recommendations made by the Commission.

Learn how WLSV responds to the legal needs of victim survivors, and how their work supports family violence practitioners to identify their clients critical legal issues.

Technology plays a crucial role in daily life, but as technology becomes more accessible, it can provide people who use violence with more ways to monitor and track victims.

The government has announced $23.1 million funding to improve court and justice processes, improving the safety of family violence victims.

The Orange Door is expanding to ensure more Victorians impacted by family violence can get the help they need closer to home.

The Orange Door gives Victorian women and children access to the support and services they need when they are experiencing family violence.

We recently spoke with LGBTI Homelessness and Family Violence Project Worker, Ashleigh Shanahan, about what inspires her work.

DVRCV has been a proud member of the Australian Gun Safety Alliance since 2018. We have joined nearly 30 other organisations in support of efforts to protect Australia’s strong gun safety framework.

More Victorians living with family violence can now access expert and dedicated court services with the state’s newest Specialist Family Violence Court up and running in Moorabbin.

A new report has found that perpetrators are finding new ways to use technology to abuse victim survivors.

The Victorian Government announced a $435 million investment into gender equality and family violence initiatives in yesterday’s state budget.

DVRCV and Domestic Violence Victoria welcome the Victorian Government’s continued investment into family violence reforms announced in yesterday’s state budget.

As we publish our annual report for 2019-20, CEO Tania Farha reflects on the past year.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an increase in family violence in Victoria.

The CSA reported family incidents increased by 6.7% since last year to a record high of 88,214 incidents. Herein we unpack the reasons why.

The funding aims to provide more Aboriginal families and individuals experiencing and using family violence with culturally-safe support.

Gender inequality creates the social conditions for violence against women to occur. There are four key expressions of gender inequality that have been found to predict or drive this violence. To prevent violence against women, we must focus our efforts on addressing these drivers.

In light of a recent announcement, DV Vic is calling on government to work with peak bodies to strengthen the impact of the new safety hubs.

Reclaiming and redefining one’s self after experiencing intimate partner violence is fraught with many challenges. Overcoming the trauma of abuse and the injustices of the legal system are just two of these challenges.

An exclusive interview DV Vic’s Senior Practice Development Advisor, Erin Davis, about the redeveloped Code of Practice and the implications of this resource.

166 Victorian practitioners supporting women experiencing violence during Victoria’s initial COVID-19 shutdown period responded to the survey. Here’s a summary of the key findings.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an increase in family violence in Victoria.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted MARAM reforms on multiple fronts. We have summarised the key developments that may impact you here.

General Practitioners and other medical professionals have a vital role to play in identifying and responding to family violence, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis.

The police killing of George Floyd and the resurgence of mainstream media attention on the Black Lives Matter movement in the US and internationally has sharpened our focus on racism, dispossession and oppression in this country.

Gender inequality creates the social conditions for violence against women to occur. There are four key expressions of gender inequality that have been found to predict or drive this violence. To prevent violence against women, we must focus our efforts on addressing these drivers. The condoning of violence against women is one of these drivers.

Gender inequality creates the social conditions for violence against women to occur. There are four key expressions of gender inequality that have been found to predict or drive this violence. To prevent violence against women, we must focus our efforts on addressing these drivers.

The Jobs Hub connects professionals with diverse career opportunities in the family violence and PVAW sectors.

The funding will help Victoria Legal Aid, CLCs and Aboriginal legal services reach and provide vital legal support to more victim survivors of family violence.

The impact of the recent COVID-19 isolation restrictions on woman and children experiencing family violence has meant that organisations have had to look at and change their approach to delivering crucial services.

Domestic Violence Victoria (DV Vic) and the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (DVRCV) will merge in 2020-21 to become a new entity.

Victorians experiencing increased family violence risk due to the COVID-19 pandemic will have their urgent applications heard by a judge within 72 hours.

Tailored to the COVID-19 context, the tip sheet will help frontline essential workers identify family violence and support those who are unsafe at home at the moment.

As someone who has dedicated her life to creating systemic change for women and children, Fiona McCormack reflects on her own personal and professional struggles with self-care.

The Victorian Government has announced a $40.2 million funding package to provide accommodation and support to those experiencing or at risk of family violence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each month WESNET supplies hundreds of survivors with free, safe mobile phones. With extended government funding, it will continue to deliver this service through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The period following a disaster is a complex landscape. People of all genders suffer grief and loss and are often traumatised by their experience.

DVRCV stands with WESNET (Women’s Services Network) Inc., Australian Women Against Violence Alliance (AWAVA), Fair Agenda and 68 family violence groups across Australia to request the actioning of five desperately needed changes to improve the safety of many women and children within weeks.

There is a well-established link between disasters and family violence. Do you know how to best support those from fire-affected regions experiencing abuse?

More women than ever are in Victorian prisons. Housing insecurity, tough bail laws and a system women no longer trust are just the start of a systemic failure that Flat Out’s Family Violence Justice Pilot Project is beginning work to fix.

As family and sexual violence rates are predicted to peak over the holiday period, we reflect on how response workers can support their wellbeing during this demanding time of year.

Ensuring an expert, supported and passionate family violence workforce for the future is challenging and not easy to achieve. That’s why DVRCV wholeheartedly welcomed the Victorian Government’s recent announcement to invest further in the family violence sector as part of its Rolling Action Plan.

The Victorian Government has announced further investment in the family violence sector, aimed at helping grow and build the capability of the future response workforce.

The report has found that rural women experiencing domestic violence are hesitant to seek support and struggle to recognise early signs of abuse.

More than half of trans and gender-diverse survey respondents reported experiences of sexual violence or coercion – a rate four times higher than that of the general population.

The Crime Statistics Agency found that recorded family incidents increased by 8.6% in the past 12 months, with 82,652 incidents recorded across the state.

Police officers in Victoria have gained access to a new family violence reporting tool, facilitating faster and more accurate incident reporting in the field.

The Council of Australian Governments has endorsed the fourth and final action plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022.

A new Victoria Police Family Violence Report (FVR) will be live across Victoria from 22 July 2019.

As a result of the Prevention of Family Violence Act 2018, a new independent statutory authority, Respect Victoria, was founded to focus on the prevention of family violence in Victoria. We interviewed Respect Victoria CEO Tracey Gaudry and Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly about the possibilities of this new body.

Fiona McCormack, former CEO of Domestic Violence Victoria, will serve as the new Commissioner from 8 July 2019.

Victorian Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Gabrielle Williams and DVRCV CEO Emily Maguire reflect on the progress towards implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence.

Susan George is an AOD (alcohol and other drugs) Specialist Family Violence Adviser (SFVA), auspiced by Odyssey House Victoria (OHV), building capacity for family violence assessment and response to all AOD service providers in the western metropolitan catchments. We spoke to Susan about the challenges and opportunities of her role.

Multi Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM) training is available now.

Minister for Health Gabrielle Williams today launched a 10-year inclusion and equity statement to ensure Victoria’s family violence system supports all Victorians.

The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, No to Violence, and Domestic Violence Victoria welcome the Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor’s second annual report.

Energy retailers will be required to recognise family violence as a form of financial difficulty and consider this before pursuing debt, with an updated retail code planned to protect the rights of affected customers.

As recommended by the Royal Commission into Family Violence, all Victorian councils are now required to articulate how they will help reduce family violence in their community.

The Victorian Government has provided information about preparing for and implementing the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme, the Child Information Sharing Scheme and the MARAM.

Face-to-face training for the Family Violence and Child Information Sharing Reforms and introduction to MARAM training will begin on 8 October 2018.

The Victorian Government has provided information about preparing for and implementing the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme, the Child Information Sharing Scheme and the MARAM.

The Victorian Government is holding public consultations for key documents related to information sharing and the redeveloped family violence risk assessment and risk management framework.

New laws introduced on 5th June will allow victim survivors of family violence to provide recorded statements via body-worn cameras.

Fines Victoria’s new Family Violence Scheme commenced at the start of this year to support people affected by family violence within the fines system.

The Victorian Government has announced that the existing workforce will be exempt from the minimum requirement for mandatory qualifications.

Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos has announced the release of a new and enhanced men’s behaviour change program model, alongside increased funding.

Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Martin Foley has announced more than $4 million in new funding for the Rapid Housing Program.

A new research report, ‘Temporary migration and family violence: An analysis of victimisation, support and vulnerability’, was recently published.

A practical one-day workshop to help you and your employer support your well-being and professional sustainability

The Family Violence Protection Amendment (Information Sharing) Act 2017 is now operating in Victoria.

The reforms resulting from the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence are not just about change in one area.

Today, the 20th of November is the Universal Children’s Day. This day offers us an opportunity to reflect on the right for children to grow up in a world free from violence.

The Victoria Against Violence — 16 Days of Activism campaign commences on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November 2017.

The Victorian Government is expanding training at Victorian public hospitals to help staff better identify and support patients experiencing family violence.

Family Safety Victoria is running a series of stakeholder consultations with front-line practitioners and organisational leaders

The Minister for Equality has announced $3 million over four years to develop comprehensive specialist family violence services for LGBTI Victorians.

The Support and Safety Hub Statewide Concept outlines the role the hubs will have in the long-term plan to end family violence in Victoria.

Sue Clifford has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian government’s new family violence agency, Family Safety Victoria.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) people are not only more likely to experience family violence but less likely to recognise, report and receive appropriate support in response.

The Royal Commission into Family Violence has created an unprecedented opportunity to examine how Victoria’s response to family violence can be improved. DVRCV’s Libby Eltringham summarises the Commission’s inquiries into risk assessment and risk management (excerpt of full article).

Family violence impacts on Aboriginal people at vastly disproportionate rates and has devastating effects on Victorian Aboriginal communities. This is an extract from the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service (FVPLS Victoria) submission to the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence.

Last year’s coronial inquest into Luke Batty’s death was a rare opportunity to examine the systems that Rosie Batty was in contact with as she sought help to protect herself and to keep Luke safe, and how these systems can be improved to prevent this type of tragic event from happening again.

The Victorian Government’s announcement that respectful relationships education will be part of the school curriculum from 2016 is exceptionally good news for our community and those working to prevent violence against women and girls.