Recommendation 160

Women and children in Australia have the right to feel safe and live without fear of violence.

The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-22 (National Plan) is a 12 year plan that aims to reduce violence against women and their children. The National Plan was released in February 2011 and is being delivered through four three-year action Plans. The National Plan provides a mechanism to drive effort and make investment in reducing domestic, family and sexual violence.

Under the Third Action Plan 2016-2019 of the National Plan the Australian Government is working to build the evidence-base on diverse experiences of violence. For example, the Government funded Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety to deliver a state of knowledge paper 'Invisible women, invisible violence: understating and improving data on the experience of domestic and family violence and sexual assault for diverse groups of women" (December 2016).

The Third Action Plan 2016-2019 of the National Plan sets out 36 practical actions, across six National Priority areas, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children being a priority cohort. In October 2016 the Government announced a $25 million package of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander initiatives under the Third Action Plan which includes trauma-informed therapeutic services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children affected by family violence to break the cycle of intergenerational violence.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar, is currently leading a national consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls to understand their priorities, needs and aspirations, for themselves and their families. The Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women's Voices) project runs throughout 2018, with the Commissioner to provide her report to the Commonwealth in mid-2019. The report will provide guidance to governments on how to better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls as active citizens and positive change makers.

The National Plan recognises that women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities may experience domestic, family and sexual violence at higher rates than the general population. Measures under the Third Action Plan specifically targeted to women from CALD backgrounds include:making 1800RESPECT telephone services available in 28 languages and providing a dedicated translation and interpretation phone service.

• Supporting community-driven initiatives to change attitudes towards violence and gender equality, including engagement with faith leaders.
• Supporting vulnerable women recovering from violence, and assist them to rebuild their independence.
• Developing appropriate visa arrangements for temporary residents experiencing violence.
• Safer Pathways initiative for CALD women.

Initiatives under the Third Action Plan which address women with disability include:

• $2.058 million for 1800RESPECT Disability Pathway Project, to develop integrated, responsive and more accessible services for women with disabilities.
• $0.7 million for 1800RESPECT research to explore viability of online video counselling providing safe and relevant services for women in regional and remote areas and women with disabilities.
• $1.5 million to Lifeline for DV-Alert, to develop and deliver free, accredited and nationally available domestic and family violence training specifically for the disability sector.

In the 2016-17 Budget, the Australian Government committed a further $100 million for initiatives under the Third Action Plan, including $25 million for Indigenous-specific initiatives. This is on top of a $100 million Women's Safety Package announced in September 2015. The Third Action Plan package includes practical measures, such as investment in innovative technologies to keep women safe; extending support services in remote Indigenous communities; and providing education resources to teach young people about respectful relationships.

Under the Third Action Plan of the National Plan, funding has been committed to reduce violence against women from CALD backgrounds.

A further commitment funding has been provided for the development of free, nationally accredited training workshops for frontline community workers supporting women with disability who are experiencing domestic or family violence. Similar training is available to frontline workers supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and women from culturally and linguistically diverse or refugee backgrounds. Sixty percent of workshops are delivered in rural and remote areas.

For information about state and territory policies and programmes related to domestic and family violence, visit:

• Australian Capital Territory – Community Services Directorate
• New South Wales – Domestic Violence
• Northern Territory – Domestic and Family Violence
• Queensland – End Domestic and Family Violence  
• South Australia – Office for Women
• Tasmania – Department of Premier and Cabinet – Safe Homes, Safe Families
• Victoria – Department of Health and Human Services – Families and Children