Court Investment Must Result in Victim-Centred Models of Justice in Family Violence
A victim-centred justice model is an important element of the coordinated, systemic response to family violence in Victoria. The Royal Commission into Family Violence recognised the role that courts play in protecting and upholding the rights of victim-survivors of family violence and the significant barriers they face accessing the justice system. COVID-19 has created additional barriers and significantly impacted on victim-survivors access to the justice system and their ability to…
More Details >Domestic Violence Victoria Media Statement re: State Budget
DV Vic and DVRCV welcome the Victorian Government’s continued investment into family violence reforms announced in today’s state budget. In particular, we are heartened by the government’s clear commitment to putting housing at the centre of Victoria’s response to family violence, with the big housing build of nearly $5.3 billion, ensuring the availability of long-term social and affordable housing that will support families to recover from family violence. This significant…
More Details >Domestic Violence Victoria Media Statement re: Housing Announcement
DV Vic would like to congratulate the Victorian Government on its historic investment in social housing, which was announced over the weekend. The Royal Commission into Family Violence identified that having access to a safe and affordable home is critical for victim-survivors of family violence to be able to leave and recover from violence. Investment in public and community housing has not kept up with demand, creating a systemic shortage…
More Details >Domestic Violence Victoria Responds to Announcement Regarding Support & Safety Hubs
Domestic Violence Victoria (DV Vic) welcomed the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence and recognises systemic change is required to improve the safety of victim-survivors of family violence, both adults and children, including strengthening coordinated, collaborative and co-located multiagency models to respond to family violence. DV Vic recognises Support and Safety Hubs – branded The Orange Door – as an integral part of the family violence service delivery…
More Details >Domestic Violence Victoria welcomes the Victorian Government’s investment into victim-survivor safety
Domestic Violence Victoria (DV Vic) today welcomed the announcement by Premier Daniel Andrews of $20 million into interventions with adults and young people who use violence in order to keep victim survivors of family violence safe. The COVID-19 public health crisis and associated social isolation measures have meant an increase in risk and severity of family violence presenting unique challenges to the specialist family violence support sector providing crisis support…
More Details >Domestic Violence Victoria responds to the VAGO Audit of Support and Safety Hubs – 28 May 2020
Domestic Violence Victoria (DV Vic) welcomes the Victorian-Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) report on the audit of the Support and Safety Hubs (The Orange Door) tabled yesterday in Parliament and endorses all nine recommendations made by VAGO. The recommendations reflect advice DV Vic and our members have provided to Family Safety Victoria (FSV) regarding the design of the Support and Safety Hubs and challenges to their implementation. DV Vic and our…
More Details >Domestic Violence Victoria welcomes today’s funding announcement for family violence responses during COVID-19
Domestic Violence Victoria (DV Vic) welcomes today’s announcement from Ministers Williams and Wynne of a $40.2 million emergency funding package for crisis accommodation and support for family violence services during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the coming months of increased isolation and economic hardship, and as our health and human service systems respond to the unfolding public health crisis, we anticipate there will be significant increased risk for victim survivors…
More Details >Domestic Violence Victoria Opposes Parliamentary Inquiry into the Family Law System
Domestic Violence Victoria (DV Vic) strongly states our opposition to the proposed Parliamentary Inquiry into the family law system. Numerous other inquiries, reviews and evidence gathering processes have already told government what reforms are required to improve the family law system as a whole, and most critically for victim-survivors of family violence including children and young people. Mostly recently, the Australian Law Reform Commission’s 18-month review of the family law…
More Details >State Budget 2019/20
Right Focus on Perpetrator Accountability in this Year’s State Budget Every Australian will be acutely aware of the terrible impact that family violence and violence against women more broadly has on our community with the continuing news cycle focus on women murdered at the hands of men. Back in 2016 the Royal Commission into Family Violence recommended building the evidence for perpetrator programs and we’re very pleased to see today’s…
More Details >Response to the sentencing of Borce Ristevski
Firstly Domestic Violence Victoria would like to acknowledge the tragic loss of Karen Ristevski – a mother, daughter, sister and friend – and the pain caused to her family and friends throughout this time of grief alongside a difficult investigation and criminal trial. We would also like to acknowledge the efforts of police and prosecutions in bringing Borce Ristevski to account in the face of evidence limitations and other investigative…
More Details >Peak Bodies Respond to the Second Annual Report from the Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor
The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, No to Violence, and Domestic Violence Victoria – the statewide peak bodies for integrated family services, specialist family violence services for perpetrators and specialist family violence services for victim-survivors – welcome the Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor’s second annual report released today. The peak bodies echo the Monitor’s call for a systemic and coordinated approach to the design and implementation of…
More Details >Joint statement from Domestic Violence Victoria & Domestic Violence NSW in response to the federal government and opposition’s commitment to funding for women’s safety
We welcome the federal government’s record investment in preventing and responding to violence against women. We’re glad the Opposition has also developed policy and funding commitments to this issue and we hope to see continuing bipartisan support for providing much needed resources to end men’s violence against women and the devastating effect it has on too many Australians. We look forward to working with the government on fine tuning the…
More Details >The work to end family violence continues with Victorian Labor
DV Vic congratulates Premier Daniel Andrews and the Victorian Labor party for being elected for another four years. We are pleased that Premier Andrews committed to the full funding and implementation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence recommendations and look forward to seeing this work continue into the future. DV Vic CEO Fiona McCormack said: With 63 women killed this year, now is not the time to be complacent….
More Details >Victorian Liberals make no commitments to family violence reform
Georgie Crozier, Victoria’s Shadow Minister for Family Violence, stopped short of committing to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence if the Liberals win the next state election. Ms Crozier said the Victorian Liberals would need to “talk to the experts” and consider “efficiencies” in future action on family violence. Natalie Hutchins, the Andrews Government’s Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, said the Andrews Government would continue…
More Details >Concern about Opposition’s policy for mandatory sentencing for family violence offenders
Domestic Violence Victoria is concerned about the Victorian Opposition leader’s recent announcements on mandatory sentencing for family violence offenders. Obviously we want to ensure all offenders are properly managed by the justice system but family violence is a complex matter that cannot be changed by knee-jerk reactions. “We welcome the Opposition’s desire to take action on family violence, but there is no evidence mandatory sentences or increased police powers before…
More Details >Andrew’s Government’s public housing announcement
Domestic Violence Victoria congratulates the Andrews government for their announcement about 11,000 new public housing properties over three years, which will house around 1,800 Victorians experiencing homelessness. “Affordable housing is one of the many barriers that can prevent women and their children from escaping family violence,” said Fiona McCormack, CEO of Domestic Violence Victoria. “More housing available to women in this situation will save lives and reduce the risk of…
More Details >Family violence is above politics
Yesterday morning, DV Vic, No To Violence, GENVIC, CASA Forum and VCOSS stood together on the steps of Parliament House to call on all political parties to unite against family violence. In the wake of nine Australian women being killed by current or former partners over the last few weeks, it’s critical that this devastating issue is given the attention it deserves. Family violence is our state’s biggest law and…
More Details >DV Vic’s response to proposal for on-the-spot intervention orders
DV Vic is concerned by the Victorian Opposition’s plan to give police powers to issue intervention orders on the spot which could lead to women ending up with orders that don’t work for them. When women call police for help, it is often after a violent and traumatic incident. Asking women for their input into the conditions of an intervention order at that time, including the conditions for contact with…
More Details >Commemorating Vic Kostiuk: A valued friend of the family violence sector
On behalf of our members, Board and team, DV Vic would like to commemorate Vic Kostiuk’s dedication and extraordinary contribution to those experiencing family violence during his career at Victoria Police. DV Vic is the peak body for family violence services. As such, we have a membership of the services in Victoria that provide a response to women and children experiencing family violence. Vic was renowned in the family violence…
More Details >Focus should be on improving police practice and not a stand-alone offence
DV Vic is concerned by the Victorian Liberal’s promise to introduce a stand-alone strangulation offence. A strangulation offence may provide greater safety for survivors of family violence, but, on its own, it will not address the gaps in policing, duty failures, poor attitudes and lack of knowledge about family violence that still exist in some parts of Victoria Police. We support police to continue their focus on improving police practice…
More Details >Making renting fair for victims of family violence
DV Vic welcomes and supports legislation being introduced by the Victorian government to make renting easier for victims of family violence. The Royal Commission into Family Violence made several recommendations related to residential tenancy reform, which we commend the government for including in this Bill. DV Vic supports the Make Renting Fair campaign’s call for Victorian Parliamentarians to pass the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill 2018 before the state election this…
More Details >Family violence is not a niche issue, it is a core issue
Domestic Violence Victoria is devastated by the murders of two more women in Melbourne over the weekend following the deeply saddening deaths of Jack and Jennifer Edwards in Sydney last Thursday. In the wake of these tragic incidents we reiterate the need for all political parties at both federal, state and territory levels to commit to long-term, bipartisan and evidence-based effort to end violence against women and children. This includes…
More Details >RE: Cross examination changes
DV Vic congratulates the Turnbull government on following through with their commitment to prohibit direct cross examination of family violence victims by their abusers. We support Women’s Legal Services Australia in their call to ensure this important legislation is supported with adequate resourcing. “This legislation is vital in supporting survivors of family violence engaging with the Family Law system. Being directly questioned in the Family Court by an abusive former…
More Details >RE: ‘Family Violence Disclosure Scheme’ announcement
The Victorian Coalition have announced their intention to pilot a ‘Family Violence Disclosure Scheme’ should they be elected to government, to allow women and their family and friends to check whether an intimate partner has a history of family violence. DV Vic appreciates the Victorian Coalition’s focus on family violence but has concerns that this scheme was not included in the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence. “The…
More Details >Preventing men’s violence against women
We welcome the Andrews government’s ongoing commitment to implementing the Royal Commission into Family Violence recommendations as seen in today’s announcement about giving legislative force to Respect Victoria. In light of the numerous incidents of violence against women and their children this week it highlights the critical need for prevention work. Men’s violence against women, which is most often targeted at women in their families, is not a niche issue….
More Details >RE: Eurydice Dixon
All forms of violence against women are connected, whether it is committed by someone the woman knows, a stranger, or even a system that treats women as objects. There’s something in our culture that supports the message that men are entitled to women’s time and attention. But this is something we can change. We can build a safer community by recognising and challenging sexist attitudes when we see them. We…
More Details >Joint Statement: United opposition to unfair and dangerous mandatory sentencing laws
Joint Statement: United opposition to unfair and dangerous mandatory sentencing laws Thursday 21 June 2018 – for immediate release We, as leaders of Victoria’s community, family violence, youth, drug and alcohol and community legal sectors, unanimously oppose the introduction of mandatory sentencing laws by the Andrews Government. We provide services to families who are in crisis. We know first-hand these laws will impact ordinary Victorians. The laws are wide reaching,…
More Details >RE: Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Report
As much as DV Vic wishes a report like this was never necessary, we congratulate the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network on their report released today. Thanks to the Network’s extraordinary efforts and national collaboration we now have the most robust and reliable data on intimate partner homicide that has ever been released in Australia. DV Vic’s work reflects the evidence base that shows the major cause of violence against women is gender…
More Details >RE: Joy Rowley Coroners Court Inquest
Joy Rowley’s murder was a horrific crime and should never have happened. As much as we wish this inquest wasn’t necessary we are keen to hear the Coroner’s recommendations on how women like Joy can be better protected in the future. We’ve achieved so much in the last few years but The Royal Commission into Family Violence was the start not the end of that process. We cannot be complacent…
More Details >RE: Media reporting on Margaret River shooting
After the Margaret River shooting DV Vic wholeheartedly supports the call for more mental health services in rural areas and stronger work on dismantling the entrenched gender roles that teach troubled men to think there is shame in reaching out for help. DV Vic is saddened by the tragic killing of two women and four children and Aaron Cockman, the four children’s father, has our deepest sympathy. We understand that…
More Details >Report of the Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor: Keeping family violence reform on track
Domestic Violence Victoria commends the Andrews Government in appointing the Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor to report on the government’s performance in implementing the Royal Commission into Family Violence’s recommendations and welcomes the first report released today. Victoria’s significant investment into the Royal Commission’s recommendations won’t be worthwhile unless there are checks and balances in place to make sure that their implementation genuinely works to turn the tide on family…
More Details >Money for Jobs and Training in Family Violence
Delivering on the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence will need a skilled workforce. The Andrews government’s commitment to the recommendations remains strong but, for the first time, family violence is not a headline budget item. Domestic Violence Victoria supports the Andrews government in their understanding that the work of addressing men’s violence against women is generational. Long term and bi-partisan commitment to this as a core priority…
More Details >Vale Fiona Richardson MP
Domestic Violence Victoria CEO Fiona McCormack has paid tribute to Fiona Richardson MP, Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, who died yesterday after a battle with breast cancer. Minister Richardson was a fearless advocate for women and children, and had an integral role in bringing about the Royal Commission into Family violence. As Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Ms Richardson made sure the voice of survivors of family…
More Details >Today is a day for Victoria to be proud
Domestic Violence Victoria CEO Fiona McCormack has welcomed the historic investment into eliminating family violence in Victoria. “Today is a day to be proud. The Royal Commission into Family Violence gave us a blueprint to reform Victoria’s family violence system. We welcome the resources that will make that vision a reality.” The 2017-18 Victorian budget allocates $1.9 billion over four years to address family violence. This includes $448 million for…
More Details >Domestic Violence Victoria welcomes unprecedented investment into family violence
Domestic Violence Victoria (DV Vic) welcomes the significant investment in today’s State Budget from the Andrews Government to meet the first tranche of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence. View the full media release here
More Details >Landmark plan heralds generational change: Family violence sector
Calling it “an extraordinary opportunity to turn this around within a generation”, the family violence sector welcomed the State Government’s ten year plan Ending Family Violence: Victoria’s Plan for Change. Speaking at the plan’s launch this morning, Fiona McCormack Domestic Violence Victoria Chief Executive Officer, commended the Andrews Government. “This plan marks the Government’s long-term commitment to rolling out the major reforms laid down by the Royal Commission into Family…
More Details >Family violence sector welcomes $572 million a significant down payment on government commitment to end family violence in Victoria
The family violence sector is thrilled to see today’s announcement of $572 million over two years as a down payment on the first tranche of the Royal Commission’s recommendations, Domestic Violence Victoria’s CEO, Fiona McCormack said this morning. View the full media release here
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