There is no panacea to gendered violence. There is no one solution. We will not go close to achieving the government’s ambitious goal to end gendered violence within a generation unless we pursue a prevention agenda that aims to prevent gendered violence and coercive control within the short- to medium-term.

We need a flourishing and interconnected prevention system, embedded in and connected to frontline services, with appropriate resourcing and incentives to focus where they have the most preventative effect. And ultimately, as prevention advocates, we need to hold ourselves accountable to the goals that we set for ourselves and the promises we make to the community.

Jess Hill and Michael Salter UNSW

The issues

Incidents of family violence are escalating and, more alarmingly, 58 women were victims of domestic homicide, up from 35 in 2022. 2024 is worse with 62 women dead by November. Women are over eight times more likely to be victims than men. 

It is clear that the ‘gender equality’ approach is neither working nor evidence-based.

There are several reasons for this. Governments, time and time again, have allowed vested interest lobbyists in, for instance, alcohol, gambling and X-rated pornography, to avoid regulation. They normalise practices that are harmful and dangerous, particularly for women and children. The eSafety Commissioner’s recently recommended verification for online porn was rejected, gambling advertising laws were watered down by the Prime Minister and a ban on under-16 year-olds using the internet seems likely to fail.

There is insufficient funding for survivor support (preventive and reactive). Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness, exacerbated by growing socio-economic drivers. A 2016 Personal Safety Survey showed 60% of single mothers were survivors of domestic violence and half of them were living in poverty with their children.

Family violence is worse in Aboriginal communities, as we know, and these communities are also over-represented in being affected by almost all the other drivers of FDV outlined here.  

Our plan

  • Bring accountability to the cause of stopping domestic violence by measuring success in prevention and consequences for perpetrators 
  • Bring a stronger focus on prevention of and recovery from intergenerational trauma and child abuse
  • Tackle the business models that cause or contribute to domestic violence such as alcohol, gambling and drug use, introducing measures such as those used against tobacco
  • Upskill practitioners in providing interventions for perpetrators of violence
  • Respond to the prevalent childhood trauma in Australia through primary care and mental health services
  • Provide adequate funding for services including income support that allows women to separate from abusive relationships
  • Continue to fight for gender inequity 
  • Provide adequate funding for education and rehabilitation services   
  • Adequately fund of mental health supports
  • Increase the focus on perpetration and working with men and boys in the prevention of violence against women. Frameworks such as Change the story, Men in focus and the National Plan outline key actions for working with men and boys. 

The evidence

Family, domestic and sexual violence is a major health and welfare issue in Australia, occurring across all socioeconomic and demographic groups, but predominantly affecting women and children. These types of violence can have a serious impact on individuals, families and communities and can inflict physical injury, psychological trauma and emotional suffering. These effects can be long-lasting and can affect future generations. 

Australia Institute of Health and Welfare

2 in 5 women have experienced violence since the age of 15. 1 in 6 women have experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner, and for males it is 1 in 16. In Australia, intimate partner violence contributes to more death, disability and illness in women aged 25 to 44 than any other preventable risk factor. 

75% of victims of domestic violence reported the perpetrator as male, while 25% reported the perpetrator as female. Gender inequality continues to disempower women. 

On average, one woman every nine days and one man every month is killed by a current or former partner. Recent studies have shown that almost half (47%) of the women who had experienced male perpetrated sexual assault in the past 10 years believed alcohol or another substance contributed to the most recent incident. 

The 2024-25 Budget allows $925m extra for the Leaving Violence program over 5 years, $4.7b for gender-based violence prevention and the commitment from Government is to end violence against women in the next decade.

References:

Share this: