The Victorian Government has marked another milestone in its pledge to deliver on every single recommendation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence and drive down all forms of family violence – with more than 200 recommendations now implemented.
The latest tranche of completed recommendations takes the total to 204 of 227 recommendations now completed. It includes better protecting family violence survivors under tenancy laws, establishing youth refuges in Preston and Werribee, and a broader range of programs for perpetrators.
The Victorian Government has invested more than $3.5 billion in ending family violence since the Royal Commission – more than all the other states combined and more than the Commonwealth – to deliver meaningful and lasting change to the way our community understands, prevents and responds to family violence.
Of the latest 37 recommendations implemented, key reforms include:
- Implementation of all the primary prevention focused recommendations, with all Victorian government schools and 384 non-government schools now delivering the Respectful Relationships initiative, building cultures of respect and gender equality across school communities. More than 1,950 Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools are now participating.
- Strengthening the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 to better protect those who have experienced family violence in their rental property. Victim survivors are now able to terminate their tenancy with no liability for debts of their perpetrators.
- Helping young people in need through the establishment of dedicated youth refuges, such as the Kids Under Cover Village 21 in Preston and the Iramoo Youth Refuge in Werribee, providing accommodation and support to young people who are leaving out-of-home care and would otherwise be homeless.
- The development and implementation of a broad range of new perpetrator interventions, with unique responses for different groups who use violence – including the Caring Dads program targeting fathers who use violence, court-based initiatives to address LGBTIQ+ perpetrators and embedding family violence practitioners within the Children’s Court of Victoria.
The remaining 23 recommendations are already in progress and on track to be fully implemented by October 2022. For more information, visit vic.gov.au/family-violence-recommendations.
As stated by Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Gabrielle Williams
“We’re making sure those at risk of or experiencing family violence can access the support and resources they need to stay safe, while also building our whole community’s ability to understand and stop family violence before it starts.”
“These reforms are making a profound impact and changing lives but there is still much work to be done preventing violence, supporting survivors and holding perpetrators to account – and we’re getting on with doing it.”
