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Family Violence and Safety

Topics

Prevalence and Harm

Trends and patterns in domestic violence assaults: 2001-2010 (2011) NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics. This Bureau Brief aims to describe current trends in domestic violence and factors associated with reporting offences to police in NSW.
National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children including the first three-year action plan. Provides a framework for action by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments to reduce violence against women and their children. The outcomes will be delivered in four three-year action plans, the first of which runs from 2010-2013. Source: FaHCSIA.
Non Disclosure of violence in Australian Indigenous communities - Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no.405 (2011) - Australian Institute of Criminology. Violent crime statistics drawn from police data do not show the large amount of violent crime and victimisation that is never disclosed to police.
The impacts of sexual assualt on women (2011) - Cameron Boyd, Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault (ACSSA). This resource sheet gathers together the findings from a wide range of research into the impacts of sexual assault on adult women.
The Disappearing Age: A strategy to address violence against older women – Older Women’s Network NSW (2009). This report discusses the findings of the Project on Prevention of Violence Against Older Women and explores the challenge for the domestic and family violence sector of responding to the increased reporting of violence against older women.
Mother and Infant Attachment Theory and Domestic Violence: Crossing the Divide, (2008) Fiona Buchanan, Stakeholder Paper No. 5, Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse. This paper explores how abuse by a father or father figure at the time of birth and during infancy can impact on early mother and infant attachment patterns, and considers the implications for practitioners working with women and infants. Source: AFRC
Analysis of the 2005 Personal Safety Survey (2008), John Henstridge and others / Data Analysis Australia and Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Provides a detailed analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data and the Women's Safety Survey 2006 regarding violence in the community and in families.
Raped by a partner: a research report (2008), Debra Parkinson and others / Women's Health Goulburn North East. Partner rape is prevalent in our society. This research is based on over 70 interviews with women, police and health professionals and has implications for health professionals, GPs, ministers, community members and anyone who works with them.
Family Violence: What’s in a name? by Lawrie Moloney/Journal of Family Studies (2008). This article, while reflecting on the author’s experience of institutionalised violence in school, explores how society defines violence, and our attitudes and assumptions in this difficult field.
Battle-scars: long-term effects of prior domestic violence (2007), Isla Evans, Melbourne: Centre for Women's Studies and Gender Research, Monash University

Family Law

Domestic Violence Laws in Australia Report, Australian Government Solicitor (AGS), 2009. This report provides an overview of legislation and will be used to develop the Rudd Government's National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women. The report also provides an analysis of overlaps and potential gaps between the Family Law Act 1975 and State and Territory domestic violence protection orders.
Family Law Council report: Improving responses to family violence in the family law system: An advice on the intersection of family violence and family law issues. December 2009
Family Law Act reform: the potential for screening and risk assessment for family violence (2007), Rochelle Braaf and Clare Sneddon, Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse issues paper, No. 12.
Behind closed doors: family dispute resolution and family violence(2007), by Debbie Kirkwood, Domestic Violence & Incest Resource Centre.
Empirical insights into parental attitudes and children's insights in Family Court litigation (2007), Rae Kaspiew, The Sydney Law Review, Vol. 29, No. 1.
Best Practice Principles for use in Parenting Disputes When Family Violence or Abuse is Alleged (2009), Family Court of Australia. The Family Violence Best Practice Principles have been developed to provide decision makers with practical guidance in dealing with matters in which a notice has been filled alleging family violence or the risk of family violence, or abuse or the risk of abuse.

Children & Young People

The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children: A Literature Review (2011) UNSW for The Benevolent Society. This review examines the literature and the recent Australian studies of family law legislation to explore the impacts on children who are affected by domestic violence, and provides recommendations for generalist social service practitioners working with these families.
'An Assault on our Future': The impact of violence on young people and their relationships (2011) White Ribbon Foundation. This report examines how violence against women specifically affects children and young people.
Childrens' exposure to domestic violence in Australia (2011) Australian Institute of Criminology. As this paper outlines, witnessing domestic violence can involve a range of incidents, from the children 'only' hearing the violence, to the children being forced to participate in the violence or being used as part of a violent incident.
WA Family Pathways Network Conference Proceedings - Family Violence - The Impact on Children: Working together to address complex needs
Knowing mothers - safe young children - resource manual (2001), Partnerships Against Domestic Violence. A manual documenting the Domestic Violence group and the Peer Support Training models used by the Kids 'n' you Family Support Program.
The Savvy Schools kit - support for students affected by domestic violence/family violence yes!!! (2000), Partnerships Against Domestic Violence. A report that supports good practice and provides information and strategies to guide schools in raising awareness, in linking with local specialist services and in responding sensitively and effectively to students and their families.
Feeling safe, being strong: helping children build safe, happy and healthy relationships (2008), Chris Storm, Bethany Community Support. Presented at the AIFS Conference 2008 this research discusses a family violence prevention and early intervention program that targets primary school students in years three and four. Source: Australian Policy Online.
An Assault on Our Future: The impact of violence on young people an their relationships (2008). This well structured and researched report, released for White Ribbon Day, is a chilling reminder that even observing violence creates victims who may perpetuate the cycle throughout their lives. Focusing on the effects of men’s violence on children and young people it tackles difficult questions head-on and makes recommendations at national, state and local level for preventing violence and its impact on young and not so young children.

Men as Victims of Domestic Violence

Men as victims of domestic violence: some issues to consider. DVIRC Discussion Paper no.2, 2002. The second in DVIRC's occasional Discussion Paper takes as it focus research purporting to show that women are as violent as men in relationships.

Prevention

Where men stand: Mens' roles in ending violence against women (2011). This report is guided by the fundamental belief that men can play a positive role in preventing mens' violence against women. Indeed, without men's involvement, efforts to reduce and prevent violence against women will fail. Source: White Ribbon Foundation.
Engaging Men in Men’s Violence Prevention: Exploring the Tensions, Dilemmas and Possibilities, Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse Issues Paper 17 2008, by Bob Pease. A must-read article where Pease poses questions about amongst other things, privilege, collusion between men, the limitations of existing approaches, male positive approaches and ensuring men’s violence prevention work remains accountable to women.
Issues Facing Men’s Behavioural Change Programs, Service Spotlight in the Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse Newsletter 33 2008, by Danny Blay and Michele Wright. This article puts a spotlight on Victoria’s twenty year experience of men’s behavioural change programs (MBCPs) and contrasts progress there with achievement around the rest of the country. Crucial success factors include strong government support, a peak body for MBCPs, along with a self-regulatory framework and nationally accredited competency based training.
Time for action: The National Council’s plan for Australia to reduce violence against women and their children, 2009-2021 (2009), National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. This report discusses the current situation in Australia and recommends sweeping changes between now and 2021. It focuses on strategies and actions for prevention, early intervention, improved service delivery, and justice and identifies six core areas for improvement.

Response

Homelessness prevention for women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence (2011) Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI). This positioning paper makes up the first output of a research study entitled Homeslessness prevention for women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence: Innovations in poilcy and practice.
Reporting abuse and neglect: State and territory departments responsible for protecting children (2011) National Child Protection Clearinghouse (NCPC). This Resource Sheet provides links and contact details for the relevent reporting authorities in each Australian state and territory.
Seeking Security: promoting women's economic wellbeing following domestic violence (2011) Rochelle Braaf & Isobelle Barrett Meyering. Domestic violence is a pervasive social issue in this country, with an estimated 15-17% of Australian women affected over the course of their lifetime. The findings of this research are consistent with national and international research studies that point to numerous ways in which domestic violence impacts on women’s financial outcomes. This study goes further to highlight that for women experiencing domestic violence, financial security goes to the heart of not only their freedom from abuse, but also their recovery and capacity to (re)gain control over their lives, now and in the future. Source: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse (ADFVC).
Children and families experiencing domestic violence: Police and children’s social services’ responses, Stanley et al, UK (2009). This research examines the police notification system in the UK and the service pathways followed by families brought to the attention of children’s social services through this notification process.
Domestic Violence in Regional Australia: a literature Review prepared by Women’s Services Network (2000).
Responding to men who perpetrate domestic violence: controversies, interventions and challenges (2002), Lesley Laing, Western Australian family and domestic violence student kit.