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Australia’s Domestic Violence System Needs Urgent Reform
Melissa is a Specialist Family Violence Practitioner, frontline refuge worker and dedicated advocate for systemic change. As a consultant, researcher with SAFER Families and the University of Melbourne’s Family Violence Experts by Experience (WEAVERs), and founder of Australians Against Domestic Violence, she works with organisations, government, and healthcare providers to improve frontline responses and ensure survivor voices shape policy and reform.
Despite years of advocacy, Australia’s domestic violence system remains broken, failing survivors through ignored protection orders, inadequate support, and a justice system that prioritises bureaucracy over safety. Melissa calls for urgent reform, emphasising:
🔹 Trauma-Informed First Response– Survivors must be met with belief and compassion by specialised professionals. 🔹 Immediate Protection & Safe Housing – High-risk victims need secure, trauma-informed accommodation before violence escalates. 🔹 Mandatory Arrest for Offenders – Police discretion should be removed; arrests must be based on evidence of violence. 🔹 Strict Enforcement of Protection Orders– Every breach must have real consequences. 🔹 Safe Reporting Spaces– Survivors should have access to private, trauma-informed environments. 🔹 No Bail & Electronic Monitoring for High-Risk Offenders – Risk assessments must prioritise victim safety. 🔹 Wraparound Support & Case Management – Holistic, ongoing support is essential for survivors to rebuild their lives.
Band-aid solutions are no longer enough. A survivor-centred, national approach is needed to ensure real, lasting change.
🔹 Trauma-Informed First Response– Survivors must be met with belief and compassion by specialised professionals. 🔹 Immediate Protection & Safe Housing – High-risk victims need secure, trauma-informed accommodation before violence escalates. 🔹 Mandatory Arrest for Offenders – Police discretion should be removed; arrests must be based on evidence of violence. 🔹 Strict Enforcement of Protection Orders– Every breach must have real consequences. 🔹 Safe Reporting Spaces– Survivors should have access to private, trauma-informed environments. 🔹 No Bail & Electronic Monitoring for High-Risk Offenders – Risk assessments must prioritise victim safety. 🔹 Wraparound Support & Case Management – Holistic, ongoing support is essential for survivors to rebuild their lives.
Band-aid solutions are no longer enough. A survivor-centred, national approach is needed to ensure real, lasting change.
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