Time for Action: The National Council’s Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, 2009-2021 

• National Council

Violence against women and their children remains a profound problem in societies around the world, and Australia is no exception. Addressing the causes and solutions to this violence is a great moral and societal challenge. Nearly one in three Australian women experience physical violence and almost one in five women experience sexual violence over their lifetime¹. Violence cuts across all aspects of our community – it knows no geographical, socio-economic, age, ability, cultural or religious boundaries².

There are many serious and complex issues surrounding the question of violence against women and their children. For example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women report higher levels of physical violence during their lifetime than do non-Aboriginal and non-Torres Strait Islander Australian women, and they are much more likely to experience sexual violence and to sustain injury. The same is true for women with disabilities. More than a third of women identifying as lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex have been in a relationship where their partner abused them. Some women from immigrant and refugee backgrounds also face particular barriers related to their circumstances, and are less likely to receive appropriate assistance from services when they attempt to leave a violent relationship³.

Domestic and family violence and sexual assault cannot be excused or justified under any circumstances. It is wrong, and all victims need compassionate and highly responsive support and all perpetrators must be held accountable for their violence.

Domestic and family violence and sexual assault are not merely personal or unseen problems, they should be regarded as public concerns that affect families, friends, communities, workplaces, and, ultimately, the nation. The accumulation of case upon case of violence against women and their children is a burden which our society must not sustain. Victims and their families must be helped to ensure safer futures not just for individuals but for the conscience of the nation. The cycle of the abused becoming abuser, the splintering of families, and the subsequent splintering of support groups and communities, endangers the future of generations of Australians.

Time for Action: The National Council’s Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2009-2021 (the Plan of Action) states that no woman should be a victim of sexual assault or domestic and family violence, and that no woman should fear for her safety at home, at work or in her community. It focuses on strategies and actions for prevention, early intervention, improved service delivery, and justice.

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National Council

The Australian Government established the National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (the Council) in May 2008, fulfilling one of its 2007 election commitments. Established for a term of one year, the Council consists of 11 members from across Australia selected for their extensive knowledge, expertise and networks in the fields of sexual assault and domestic and family violence. Council members are:

• Libby Lloyd AM (Chair) - Heather Nancarrow (Deputy Chair)
• Associate Professor Moira Carmody - Dorinda Cox, Maria Dimopoulos
• Dr Melanie Heenan - Rachel Kayrooz, Andrew O’Keefe
• Vanessa Swan - Lisa Wilkinson, Pauline Woodbridge

The Council’s main role was to develop a national plan to reduce the incidence and the impact of violence against women and their children. Specifically the Council was: to provide expert advice and direction to the Australian Government on measures to reduce the prevalence and effect of sexual assault and domestic and family violence on victims; to consult widely across government and the community in the development of the plan; and provide leadership for sustaining change in the identification of best practice policy, program and service development which will prevent violence against women and their children.

The development of the National Council’s Plan of Action

The Council developed this Plan of Action by validating emerging trends, repeatedly testing ideas and solutions against the best available evidence, and building on the experience and wisdom grown from practice.

Given the scale and complexity of the problem, the Council recognised that its Plan needed to be developed in close discussion with stakeholders from around Australia, and that it needed to be inclusive and cross-sectoral. Council members travelled extensively to hear first-hand accounts of the experiences of women, men, policy makers, service providers and communities. Their stories of failure and success shaped the Plan of Action’s design.

The Plan of Action is informed by the views of more than 2,000 Australians including:

• victims and perpetrators of sexual assault and domestic and family violence;
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives;
• women with disabilities;
• immigrant and refugee women;
• lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities;
• service providers;
• peak bodies;
• men’s groups;
• the judiciary;
• legal professionals;
• police officers;
• politicians;
• government representatives;
• community representatives;
• spiritual and faith leaders;
• academics and researchers;
• teachers.

In addition, the Council:

• commissioned a desktop analysis of key Australian and international research on sexual assault and domestic and family violence;
• conducted interviews, community meetings and on-line surveys with a range of stakeholders in all State and Territory capital cities, and some regional and remote centres;
• reviewed the 370 public submissions to the Council by a wide range of stakeholders across Australia;
• undertook preliminary research to identify current initiatives to address sexual assault and domestic and family violence across Australia – Part B: the ‘As Is’ Jurisdictional Analysis in the Background Paper to Time for Action: The National Council’s Plan of Action for Australia to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2009-2021 (the ‘As Is’ Jurisdictional Analysis);
• convened six expert round–table forums;
• delivered presentations to key government and non-government fora;
• briefed a number of Commonwealth and State and Territory ministers and representatives of the Federal Opposition, on the progress and objectives of the Plan of Action.

The Council has produced a range of supporting documents that complement the Plan of Action. These provide background research and include:

• Background Paper to Time for Action: The National Council’s Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, 2009-2021
• Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Laws in Australia – Volumes 1 and 2⁴.

In addition, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs commissioned a report entitled The Cost of Violence against Women and their Children, March 2009.

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The National Council’s Plan of Action

The Plan of Action builds on an extensive history of government initiatives in this area and will be reinforced by other reforms being progressed by Australian Governments such as the COAG Early Years Agenda, the National Affordable Housing Agreement, the COAG Closing the Gap Agenda, the National Disability Strategy, the development phase of the Northern Territory Emergency Response, the National Framework to Protect Australia’s Children, the Review of the Australia’s Future Tax System, the Australian Government’s Pension Review, and the work of the Social Inclusion Board.

It will also help Australia meet its human rights obligations under international laws and universal human rights instruments, including: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women; the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action of the World Conference on Human Rights; the Millennium Development Goals ; the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Beijing Platform for Action; and the Campaign UNITE to End Violence Against Women, 2008 – 2015.

Recognising the complexity

There have been several attempts to address this troubling issue at the state, territory and national levels over many years. Most of these attempts struggled with the complexity and embedded nature of the problem. This Plan of Action emphasises that there is no 'one-size fits all' approach. It acknowledges the rights and the diverse experiences of women and their children, and the need to tailor responses to meet varied and specific circumstances. For example, different responses are needed in rural, urban and remote areas, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, women with disabilities, same-sex couples, and immigrant and refugee families.

The Plan of Action also supports contemporary learning that action on multiple levels – individual, relationship, community, and societal – is more likely to be successful in tackling the issue of violence against women and their children, than ad-hoc generalised solutions.

It creates a shared understanding, a common purpose, and the foundation for a collaborative approach between different levels of government and the wider community. It encourages cross-sectoral collaboration and forms a basis for dialogue between governments and communities which will encourage consistent and effective justice responses to violence.

Underpinning values

The Plan of Action is founded on seven core values:

• safety;
• community responsibility;
• equality and diversity;
• responsiveness;
• justice;
• durability;
• knowledge and accountability.

With a horizon to 2021, the Plan of Action focuses on six outcome areas. It seeks to ensure that we build strong, safe communities that are free from violence; that from an early age children build respectful non-violent relationships; that services support women and their children; that responses to violence are just; that perpetrators stop their violence; and that both government and service systems work together effectively.

Outcome areas

The safety of women and their children is the guiding principle for this Plan of Action. The six fields for improvement are described as 'outcome areas' in the document and together they help ensure this principle becomes a reality. These outcome areas reflect the understanding that:

• the real preference, and need, of women is that their whole community is safe and free from violence so that they can live in safety with respectful and strong relationships;
• should a woman’s safety and respectful relationships not be realised, she be able to easily identify and access appropriate high quality services;
• should a woman require access to, and the intervention of, the legal system, that it must treat her with dignity and hold the perpetrator accountable for his behaviour;
• the perpetrator must accept responsibility for changing his behaviour and that preventative measures or help must be available to ensure he does not repeat his violence;
• the success of the Plan of Action hinges on the success of the sixth outcome area – that the entire system join seamlessly and all its parts work together – only then can we assure women and their children that they should be safe and free from violence.

Key features

Key features of the Plan of Action include:

• the combination of both sexual assault and domestic and family violence in a national plan;
• the recognition that everyone in the community is responsible for reducing these forms of violence;
• a commitment to supporting women and children affected by violence;
• a focus on the perpetrators of violence, and ways in which they can be part of a solution;
• addressing prevention in a way that goes beyond the message of “stop violence”, to teaching children how to develop respectful relationships throughout their lifetime;
• ensuring that responses to violence are just;
• using a strong evidence-base;
• setting a long-term vision and direction for responding to this complex social issue, and seeking bi-partisan support for reducing violence which ensures women, children and our communities are safe;
• the recognition of the need for long-term commitment and sustained investment from all levels of government.

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Outcome 1 - Communities are safe and free from violence

While Australia must implement and enforce laws, both criminal and civil, to protect women and their children from violence, it must also act to prevent violence in the first instance.

The first outcome area focuses on the critical role of the Australian people – from the individual and the family, to the community in its broadest sense – in preventing violence against women. It is important that everyone accepts a role in, and the responsibility for, ensuring that our society, particularly our women and children, are safe and free from violence.

It is essential that we all recognise that this is not just a women’s issue – it is an issue for everyone. Men too are required to play a key role in this process.

Federal, State, Territory and Local governments also need to provide leadership in building safe communities to ensure change is achieved and sustained.

To make communities safe and free from violence, the Plan of Action identifies five key strategies:

• 1.1 Focus on prevention.
• 1.2 Strengthen community leadership, awareness and understanding.
• 1.3 Promote positive male behaviours.
• 1.4 Enhance women’s economic independence.
• 1.5 Build the evidence base.

Outcome 2 – Relationships are respectful

Individual and personal relationships form the basis of a safe community. Understanding and practising respectful relationships is as important as the “three R’s” (reading, writing and arithmetic) for creating a successful and harmonious society.

It is never too early to learn and acquire these fundamental life skills. They influence every part of our lives and are essential for all relationships. While the bulk of these skills are usually learnt in the home, there are other places of interaction where they can be honed or acquired such as; in schools, in communities, and in faith-based and sporting organisations. They also need to be modelled and reinforced perpetually outside these settings.

To create respectful relationships, the Plan of Action focuses on four key strategies:

• 2.1 Build the capacity for prevention education.
• 2.2 Ensure all children participate in respectful relationships education.
• 2.3 Support effective parenting.
• 2.4 Build the evidence base.

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Outcome 3 - Services meet the needs of women and their children

The effects of violence on women and their children are dramatic, thus government services must be appropriate and accessible. A woman’s first approaches for help must be met with responsiveness at the local level. These responses must reflect local conditions, deliver the right service, and take account of individual circumstances. Failure in this first instance exacts a greater moral and financial toll at a later date.

Sometimes it may be possible for the woman and her children to stay in the family dwelling but for many women this is not a safe or affordable outcome. Accommodation and health services, counselling, legal help and other services are needed in both the short term and the long term.

The sectors responsible for delivering these services must continue to show great flexibility, adaptability and responsiveness; however, it is clear the workforce needs strengthening. Adequate and sustained funding is crucial to increasing workforce and infrastructure capacity.

To ensure services meet the needs of victims and survivors, the Plan of Action identifies four key strategies:

• 3.1 Strengthen service and workforce capacity.
• 3.2 Increase access to safe accommodation.
• 3.3 Undertake specific responses to ensure equitable access to services.
• 3.4 Build the evidence base.

Outcome 4 – Responses are just

As long as sexual assault and domestic and family violence persist, Australia is obligated under national and international conventions to legislate against it; to prosecute breaches of its laws; and to provide appropriate legal responses that protect against further violence, and to promote recovery and wellbeing.

While there have been strong improvements in these areas across all states and territories, further improvement is needed. Australian women and their children have a right to protection from violence. Legal protection cannot be delivered if the laws are inadequate, if they are not applied in the way they were intended, if women experience re-victimisation in the justice process, or where the justice system is inaccessible or inequitable.

To deliver justice for women and children affected by violence, the Plan of Action identifies five key strategies:

• 4.1 Ensure accessible and equitable justice for women and their children.
• 4.2 Ensure just civil remedies operate in parallel with criminal law and prioritise safety.
• 4.3 Ensure excellence in legal responses to women and their children.
• 4.4 Ensure judicial officers, law enforcement personnel and other professionals within the legal system have appropriate knowledge and expertise.
• 4.5 Build the evidence base.

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Outcome 5 - Perpetrators stop their violence

Perpetrators must be held accountable for their behaviour and must accept the consequences of their violence. While accountability seemingly is achieved through the formal justice system, it is essential that every effort be made to employ the most effective means to ensure that perpetrators change their behaviour.

In the long-term, perpetrator and social attitudes that allow, and even encourage, the abuse of male power and control over women and children must change, along with the violent behaviour linked to these attitudes.

Perpetrators of violence need access to remedial programs and support at the earliest possible opportunity, whether self-referred, court-mandated or referred in other ways. Long-term programs are often required to assist perpetrators in rehabilitation, and it is very important that perpetrators attend programs after release from correctional or other institutions.

Up to the present, our knowledge of successful approaches to this problem has been weak, so it is essential that we persevere in building a strong body of knowledge about the most successful methods of intervention and remediation.

To ensure that perpetrators stop their violence, the Plan of Action identifies four key strategies:

• 5.1 Change behaviours through appropriate programs.
• 5.2 Increase access to early intervention initiatives.
• 5.3 Sustain behaviour change.
• 5.4 Build the evidence base.

Outcome 6 - Systems work together effectively

The previous five outcomes will yield little improvement unless government policy, program, service and funding arms (which are chronically fragmented) better communicate with each other. The inefficient application of government systems often leads to disappointing outcomes and can waste scarce resources. Service delivery must be integrated and seamless to ensure that women and their children are safe and free from violence.

This demands the government design services from the point of view of the recipient. New approaches need to be developed and implemented swiftly. The following strategies are essential for improving government service delivery:

• 6.1 Ensure governments deliver what communities need.
• 6.2 Coordinate responses.
• 6.3 Build the evidence base.

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In brief

The Plan of Action sets an agenda for actions to be implemented by 2021. This time-frame recognises the need for continuing investment and commitment in order to achieve long-term and sustainable change.

The Plan of Action is given effect over its lifetime by the development, implementation and review of four three-year implementation plans. These three-year plans provide a time-frame for delivering a set of actions. The Council envisages that these actions will be cumulative and will incorporate new information as evidence emerges.

The six outcome areas of the Plan of Action are based on 25 strategies and 117 actions.

Implementing the Plan

The Council advocates the immediate implementation of 20 actions, and the early implementation of another 21 actions in the period 2009-2012.

These actions were identified because:

• some represent the first step of a long process;
• it was important they be implemented immediately;
• governments were already progressing in the appropriate direction;
• they could be undertaken readily;
• they harmonised with other Council of Australian Governments’ existing or imminent agendas.

In the Plan of Action, Council has ordered the actions according to priority in the implemenation plan, rather than by theme.

The outcomes, strategies and actions of the Plan of Action will enable all Australian governments and communities to:

• increase their awareness of the scope, complexity, effects and cost of violence against women and their children;
• drive change in social attitudes and behaviours that condone or support such violence;
• define values and principles to guide legislative, policy and service responses across the Commonwealth, States and Territories;
• identify opportunities for improving collaboration and coordination between different levels of governments and within communities;
• encourage an expansion of governments’ activities and the capacity of services and workforce to better meet the needs of women and their children, perpetrators of violence, and their communities;
• establish a national framework for integrated data capture, monitoring and evaluation that tracks the Council’s progress, and which supports continual improvement in strategies for violence prevention.

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Progressing the Plan of Action

The driving premise behind the Plan of Action is that of sustainability. Without a prolonged, clearly framed and dedicated focus on the causes of sexual assault and family and domestic violence, this intergenerational and pervasive problem will continue in a never-ending cycle.

It is the strong view of the Council that sustainability first involves attitudinal change at all levels of government and society. It also involves adequate funding and professional training of the workforce.

The key to bringing about sustained improvements in the safety of Australia’s women and children lies in the adoption of united, cross-sectoral partnerships between community and government, and between the arms and agencies of government. Such an approach provides economies of scale, frees resources, improves the effectiveness of resource allocation, and provides a united front to a complex problem.

The Council recommends the Australian Government adopt the comprehensive architecture set out in the Plan of Action and the application of the three-year implementation plans out to 2021.

The Council seeks the support of the Australian Government in implementing the Plan of Action, and that of the Federal Opposition and State and Territory governments and their oppositions. Local government also has a key leadership role in ensuring their communities have the best possible resources and that these are delivered effectively.

Sexual assault and domestic and family violence require a cohesive and cooperative response from all levels of government. Given the complexity of the issue, and the need for multiple portfolios to collaborate for effective responses, the Council believes the Council of Australian Governments is the most appropriate forum to take carriage of the Plan of Action.

The Plan of Action also provides guidance for the establishment of a governance framework towards the implementation of the Plan of Action; and the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of strategies.

It acknowledges and builds on work undertaken by Commonwealth, State, and Territory governments, the sexual assault, domestic and family violence sectors, and communities across Australia. It offers a new and united approach for a new millennium.

This Plan of Action:

• focuses primarily on the rights of the majority of victims of domestic and family violence and sexual assault, women and their children;
• adopts an intersectional analysis⁵ to ensure that gender equality and factors such as race, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and ability are taken into account;
• is built on the voices of women, men, and their communities and organisations from around Australia;
• considers how violence against women affects their children, now and in the longer term;
• integrates responses to the diverse experiences of gender-based violence, including sexual assault and intimate partner and family violence;
• encourages increased collaboration between governments, business, and the community to provide more integrated and accessible service responses for women and children;
• focuses on strategies to stop the violence of perpetrators;
• drives an increase in the national evidence base that identifies and logs successful approaches to preventing and responding to violence.

The Council expresses its appreciation for the opportunity to contribute towards the concerted effort already under way in Australia to solving this problem.

The Council therefore commends this Plan of Action to Governments for consideration, action and implementation.

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2005.
2. Heise, L. 1998; Rees, S and Pease, B. 2006.
3. Dimopoulos, M. and Assafiri, H. 2004.
4. Langman, C. 2008. This research was completed to support Council’s requirements but will be enhanced to produce a more complete document for publication by May 2009.
5. Recent developments in thinking on human rights emphasise the need for an approach which focuses on intersectionality. This recognises the interconnections between various forms of discrimination, such as racism, sexism and homophobia, and that different aspects of a person’s identify may compound their vulnerability to human rights violations or their ability to access redress when their rights have been violated. Special Rapporteur on violence against women, 2001.