Supporting families affected by family violence is the focus of the Alexis Family Violence Response Model – which has officially been expanded to Caroline Springs and Ballarat.
The program, involving Victoria Police and the Salvation Army, sees police and specialist workers team up to support victim-survivors who are at serious risk after experiencing repeat and escalating family violence.
It also supports those experiencing mental health concerns and any drug or alcohol addictions, as well as housing instability.
Every year, the program supports around 150 family violence victim-survivors.
It also works with around 150 offenders to address their use of family violence, reduce risk and help them change their behaviour.
Through the program, Salvation Army specialist workers are embedded within Victoria Police’s Family Violence Investigation Units and work with detectives to provide support and resources to these high-risk victim-survivors.
These victim-survivors can often be difficult to reach through traditional service responses due to the seriousness of the violence or complex issues such as mental health and drug or alcohol addictions, so the program allows police and specialist workers to engage directly and deliver targeted interventions.
Some of the support and resources provided includes safety planning, family violence risk assessment and management, brokerage, emergency accommodation and connection with housing, mental health, alcohol and drug, medical and other specialist services.
The program works with all parties, including both victim-survivors and offenders to address risk factors, improve safety and help reduce family violence-related crimes from occurring.
The Alexis Family Violence Response Model was first established in Melbourne’s Bayside area in 2014.
The program has been operating out of police stations in the Bayside, Prahran, Bass Coast and Latrobe areas and is now operating within Caroline Springs and Ballarat.
Both the Caroline Springs and Ballarat Police Stations now have two Salvation Army specialist workers each embedded within their Family Violence Investigation Units.
In just the first two weeks of its expansion, the program has helped four victims and five offenders in Caroline Springs and four victims and six offenders in Ballarat.
If you or someone you know discloses family violence, believe them. Encourage them to seek help. Police can also connect victim‑survivors to specialist family violence services that provide support such as safety planning, accommodation and counselling to help families recover and rebuild.
Crisis support is available 24 hours a day through Safe Steps on 1800 015 188.
If someone is in immediate danger, always call Triple Zero (000).
If you are concerned about your own behaviour or the behaviour of someone you know, the Men’s Referral Service (No to Violence) can help people who use violence to change their behaviour – call 1300 766 491.
For more information about what Victoria Police is doing to protect victim‑survivors and children, visit police.vic.gov.au/family-violence
Quotes attributable to Ballarat Detective Acting Inspector Shaun Bingham:
“We’ve seen far too many victim-survivors suffer repeat and escalating family violence at the hands of their partner or former partner – leaving them at serious risk. It’s time for it to stop.
“Having this program here in Ballarat will go a long way in supporting these victim-survivors. It’ll enable us to engage directly with them and provide resources such as housing, mental health and medical services – which in turn will help reduce the crime from occurring.”
Quotes attributable to Melton Acting Inspector Scott Williams:
“This program sees us work closely with the Salvation Army to give families who are at serious risk after experiencing high harm family violence the support they need.
“We’ve had many victim-survivors report to us in Caroline Springs with mental health and accommodation difficulties as a result of suffering the crime – so through the program it means we can address the risk and support them with the relevant services and resources to improve their safety. The program is here to help.”
