As the federal budget approaches, a key area of the Albanese government’s focus must be on putting a stop to sexual, domestic and family violence by creating new systems that are “trauma-informed” and which support survivors, says one of the nation’s lead advocacy and assistance groups.
Full Stop Australia has previously made calls for the sector to be funded with $1 billion a year to put a full stop to sexual, domestic and family violence.
“That is our clarion call, and we make it again,” said Tara Hunter, Acting CEO of Full Stop Australia.
Ms Hunter said in the wake of yesterday’s Domestic Violence Remembrance Day (May 3), and reflecting on Domestic Violence Prevention Month (May), it’s important to honour the many lives lost as a result of domestic and family violence.
“At the very least,” Ms Hunter said, “there must be a Commonwealth commitment to structural and programmatic change that works to end sexual, domestic and family violence.
“As we reflect on the 56 lives lost in 2022 in domestic and family violence related deaths, we are reminded again that this is absolutely a life and death matter.
“These deaths are preventable and require a resounding, unified and multi-pronged response. We require a system that supports initiatives… from prevention and crisis response through to recovery.
“This requires adequate and sustained funding, with a commitment to legislative change and building the capacity of workforces across the sector.”
Ms Hunter said that with the federal budget to be announced by the Treasurer next week, it’s critical that government prioritise funding that supports everything from prevention to recovery.
This should include:
- Tailored age-appropriate consent education from early childhood that instils the key tenets of bodily autonomy.
- Rigorous dismantling of gender norms and stereotypes, through education, campaigns, policy reform and advocacy, across the private and public sector, particularly in education settings and workplaces.
- Comprehensive response network that is capacitated, in a trauma-informed way, to handle the enormous, and steadily increasing demand on services. This should be guided by clear care-coordination principles.
- Clear and specific focus on supporting priority populations, including First Nations people, LGBTQ+ communities, people living with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and people with refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds.
- Established recovery pathways, including supported and stable accommodation, for victim-survivors in the post-crisis phase.
“Full Stop Australia looks forward to reviewing the budget after it is announced and working with all spheres of government to end sexual, domestic and family violence,” Ms Hunter said.
- You can reach Full Stop’s national trauma counselling service on 1800FULLSTOP (1800 385 578). Help is free and available 24/7 in every state and territory for anyone who may be impacted by sexual, domestic and family violence.
- Full Stop’s Rainbow sexual, domestic and family violence helpline (1800 497 212) is available to any LGBTQ+ person in Australia who has been impacted by sexual, domestic and family violence.
- Full Stop also has a NSW sexual violence helpline (1800 424 017) available to anyone in NSW who is impacted by sexual violence.