Domestic violence report calls for inclusive solutions

A major report has highlighted an urgent need to address the ‘national crisis’ of domestic, family and sexual ­violence.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth says women’s safety was one of her ‘top-order priorities.’ Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Taylor

A major report conducted as part of the creation of the next 10-year national plan for women’s safety has highlighted an urgent need for state and federal governments to address the “national crisis” of domestic, family and sexual ­violence, with stakeholders calling for it to be more inclusive of diverse communities and improve victim-survivor services.

The Albanese government on Thursday released the “stakeholder consultation” report as part of the development of the next national plan to reduce domestic, family and sexual violence in Australia.

The former Coalition government released a draft national plan earlier this year but resisted calls from former Australian of the Year Grace Tame – who was one of the 81 victim-survivors who participated in its creation – to release the consultation report.

The Monash University National Plan Stakeholder Consultation Report presents the views and expertise of nearly 500 Australian practitioners, sector leaders, community advocates and policy makers in a bid to improve the safety of women and children in Australia.

Stakeholders are calling for the establishment of a victim survivor advocate group, better integration between services and the use of trauma-informed approaches, as well as First Nations voices embedded into the next national plan.

The report also presents the need for the need for children and young people to be established as a priority in the next national plan and for this cohort to be recognised as victim-survivors in their own right.

The consultation process also found the next plan must include a prevention and recovery framework for diverse communities including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTIQA and people with disabilities.

A lack of safe housing for women and children in rural and remote communities was emphasised as a key issue that needed to be addressed, as well as a focus on improving access to services for migrant and refugee women regardless of their visa status.

It follows stakeholder consultation over an 11-week period from early July 2021 to mid September 2021, where the Monash University consultation team ­engaged 492 individuals from 338 organisations. The report is expected to play an important role informing the development, ­implementation and governance of the ­National Plan to End ­Violence Against Women and Children 2022-32.

Its release comes ahead of a meeting of all federal, state and territory women’s safety ministers on July 22, at which leaders will take their last steps towards finalising the national plan.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said women’s safety was one of her “top-order priorities” and promised to ensure action was taken to address violence against women.

“One woman dies in Australia every nine days at the hands of their current or former partner,” Ms Rishworth said.

“The national plan will set out a strategy for the next decade with the aim of reducing that number.

“Women’s experiences must be at the centre of what we do and this meeting with state and territory counterparts is an important first step. What I want to see developed with the state and territory ministers is to land not only a long-term, 10-year proposal, but actually make sure that there’s action attached to it.”

Associate Professor Kate Fitzgibbon, chief investigator for the report, said it highlighted the “breadth of commitment needed across the prevention, early intervention, response and recovery space for Australian governments to truly lead a transformational shift in our progress towards ending domestic, family and sexual violence.”