All Australian governments commit to stopping domestic, family and sexual violence within a generation

Australia’s shocking rate of family, domestic and sexual violence would be stopped within one generation under a new plan to improve responses and prevention measures to curb the cycle of abuse.

Australia’s shocking rate of family, domestic and sexual violence would be stopped within one generation under a new plan to improve responses and prevention measures to curb the cycle of abuse.

Every government has signed up to the ten-year National Plan, which will be released on Monday, committing to eliminating violence by the time children born today become adults.

In Australia, one woman dies every ten days at the hands of their former or current partner.

One in three women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15 and one in five has experienced sexual violence.

Prevention – stopping violence before it has started – and early intervention – stopping violence escalating and preventing it from re-occurring – are key components of the new plan.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth will release the ten-year National Plan to tackle domestic, family and sexual violence on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Teaching young people, including boys and younger men, about respectful behaviours and relationships are among the prevention measures endorsed.

Governments have also committed to improving their “response” to existing violence cases, and better support recovery and healing to help “break the cycle” of trauma.

This includes ensuring frontline services are properly resourced and qualified to support victim-survivors, as well as improving access to safe and secure housing for women and children escaping violence.

Recognising the specific impact on children, governments will also aim to establish specialised services to support young people who have experienced violence.

Governments will also help people who experience technology-facilitated abuse to ensure they can use digital platforms without the fear of it being a vehicle for violence.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the National Plan gave governments a “clear blueprint for the next ten years” to end gender-based violence in one generation.

Womens’ Minister Katy Gallagher says the federal government is also going to address gender inequality in Australia. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“Current rates of family, domestic and sexual violence are unacceptable,” she said.

“We need sustained and collective action across society.

“This includes providing better support and protection to victim-survivors and holding people who choose to use violence to account.”

The National Plan also sets out how gender inequality drives violence against women and children.

Womens’ Minister Katy Gallagher said a National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality would be developed to map out how to address the “structural barriers and inequalities that are a major driver behind gender-based violence”.

“No amount of violence is acceptable and it is crucial that we talk honestly about some of the factors that contribute to violence against women and children, and what we will do to address some of the underlying causes,” she said.

Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre director Kate Fitz-Gibbon said gender-based violence was a “national crisis” in Australia.

“The voices of victim-survivors have been embedded into the Plan’s development,” she said.

“It is essential that the commitment to valuing the expertise of lived experience continues over the life of the Plan.”

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Originally published as All Australian governments commit to stopping domestic, family and sexual violence within a generation