Consultations - On-line Interviews 

Between 3 and10 June 2008, a total of 310 victims, survivors, perpetrators, and witnesses participated in on-line interviews.

Due to the need to quickly identify people who may not have come into contact with services, programmes and interventions, a substantial part of the research was conducted online via an on-line panel. This approach also had the advantage of offering participants the opportunity to provide feedback anonymously. 

Feedback was received from 320 people including 175 victims/survivors, 65 perpetrators of domestic and family violence and sexual assault and 210 witnesses (many people were both witnesses and victims/survivors or witnesses and perpetrators of domestic and family violence and sexual assault).

The online interviews took approximately 50 minutes to complete and all interviews were conducted between 3 and 10 June 2008.
The Council is pleased that the on-line methodology allowed more people to be involved and share their experiences, and in addition to do so in an anonymous manner if they chose. The summary of what victims, survivors, perpetrators and witnesses said is found below.

Libby Lloyd AM
Chair National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children

Many of the participants who had been sexually assaulted had also experienced domestic and family violence, and there was a strong degree of consistency in the comments made by both victims and survivors of both domestic and family violence and sexual assault. Many of the same comments were also made by perpetrators of domestic and family violence or sexual assault and given the high level of consistency across states and groups, this summary focuses on the findings that were common across the groups.

Summary of Findings

Question 1

Why does domestic and family violence and sexual assault happen?

The most frequently mentioned reasons why domestic and family violence and sexual assault happen were:

• Controlling or jealous partner;
• Influence of alcohol;
• Influence of drugs;
• Family history and upbringing;
• Lack of anger management and control;
• Money problems;
• Stress or frustrations;
• Psychological or mental illness (sexual assault);
• Perverse or strong sexual desires (sexual assault); and
• Miscommunication or poor communication within the relationship (perpetrators).

Questions 2 & 3

What is being done to reduce it? What is being done that works?

Participants nominated a range of services or service characteristics that they felt were effective or helpful including:

• Counselling – particularly services which listen and provide someone to talk to; were non-judgemental; dig deeper into the problem; and help you move on;
• Police – when they were able to protect the victim by removing the immediate danger;
• Help Lines; and
• Emergency accommodation – refuges and shelters that offer protection.

With regard to services or service characteristics that participants felt were least helpful, the most frequent responses included:

• Police – when they lack the time and resources; are reluctant to press charges or take action until it is too late; and are unable to protect the victim on an ongoing basis; and
• Service staff – who lack experience and/or expertise in the area; make judgements about the victim or are unwilling to believe them; or are unwelcoming and unsupportive.

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Question 4

What else would prevent and stop re-occurrence? Where do we go from here?

When considering what else could be done to help people in domestic and family violence and sexual assault situations, the most common responses were:

• Before an incident – Education re how to recognise signs and what is acceptable behaviour; more counselling, encouragement to speak out earlier; and involving friends and family as a support network; and self defence classes and how to protect yourself;
• During an incident – Intervention to protect them including the police; a safe place to go; removing them from the situation; counselling available 24-7; support from family and friends; and use protective behaviours/self defence; and
• After an incident – Counselling and more counselling available 24-7; support services and awareness of them; a safe place to go; training and more help to rebuild victims’ lives; financial assistance to start over; affirmation that it is not the victim’s fault; discussing the situation in a rational and unbiased manner; talk to both sides; obtain medical assistance; harsher penalties; and introduce a monitoring and follow up system.

In relation to what else could be done to prevent or reduce domestic and family violence and sexual assault the key things identified by both victims/survivors and perpetrators of violence were:

• education awareness (e.g. signs to look for and encouragement to report; as well as from an early age and in schools);
• better support systems being made available;
• removing the victim from the situation and helping them re-establish themselves;
• harsher penalties for offences;
• rehabilitation/re-education for offenders; including long-term follow-up and help;
• early intervention programs; and
• control of alcohol and drugs.

Recommendations

Systemic changes

A set of national standards on the level of harm (in terms of domestic and family violence and sexual assault) that would trigger a formal police investigation and access to support and rehabilitation services for both the victim and perpetrator of violence should be developed.

A case management approach should be adopted for both victims and perpetrators of violence to ensure both parties have access to a full suite of services designed and tailored to meet their specific needs. 

Resourcing

More resources are required for victims. In particular:

• Counselling;
• Police staff who specialise in domestic and family violence and sexual assault and more female police officers;
• Shelters and emergency accommodation; and
• Early intervention programs and education programs starting in school aimed at building self esteem and respect for others. 

More resources are required for perpetrators of violence, including:

• Counselling;
• Alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs;
• 24 hour confidential Help Lines offering confidential advice and referral service; 
• Behaviour change programs; and
• Early intervention programs and education programs starting in school aimed at building self esteem and respect for others. 

Social marketing

A national social marketing campaign could influence behaviours, encourage witnesses to support victims and perpetrators of violence and make it easier for people to access information and support to help them.