New domestic violence campaign launched by state gov

The state government has launched an advertising campaign on coercive control and consent awareness ahead of new legislation that will see the two acts of domestic violence criminalised.

Yvette D'Ath said the campaign had been designed to inform both victims and perpetrators and spark conversations about domestic violence behaviour. Picture: Annette Dew

The state government has launched an advertising campaign on coercive control and consent awareness ahead of new legislation that will see the two acts of domestic violence criminalised.

Affirmative consent clause will take effect from September 23 and coercive control May 26, 2025.

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said the campaign had been designed to inform both victims and perpetrators and spark conversations about domestic violence behaviour.

“Watching these campaigns, these ads, may very well trigger the red flag for someone who says, my mate’s doing that to his partner, I’m going to have a conversation with him,” she said.

“Because if we do not change the behaviour of the person doing the harm, we will not break the cycle.

“It cannot just be about removing people from harm.”

The campaign has been developed in collaboration with the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council and LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation.

DVF Prevention Council co-chair Vanessa Fowler OAM said it was important that the community, particularly young people began using the same terminology when it came to recognising and calling out signs of abuse.

“This is a very, very important campaign,” she said.

“It’s going to make immediate impact throughout our society and support the important work in the prevent prevention space.”

Vanessa Fowler said it was an important campaign. Picture: David Clark

The federal government’s rapid review into prevention of DFV against women and children was handed down this week.

The review, led by domestic and sexual violence commissioner Micaela Cronin, found alcohol, gambling and pornography is significantly continuing to high rates of DFV and recommended that governments review and amend alcohol and gambling regulatory environments to prioritise the prevention of domestic violence, including restricting sales and implementing advertising bans.

Asked whether Queensland should be doing more to address alcohol fuelled violence and gambling influences on DFV, Ms D’Ath said advertising restrictions or bans would need to be addressed at a national level.

“There’s some levers we’ve got at a state level around gambling and alcohol and that messaging, but a lot of it has to be done at a national level as well,” she said.

“But yeah, we do need to be looking at all of those issues, and, you know, the connection of harm and you know those addictions.”