DFV strategy welcomed but more to be done

THE State Government has launched a “landmark strategy” to respond to the perpetration of domestic and family violence (DFV) in New South Wales.

“Building Better Responses: NSW Strategy to Respond to the Use of Domestic and Family Violence 2026–2030” is NSW’s first dedicated plan aimed at disrupting DFV and focusing on those who cause or may cause harm.

“The purpose of this strategy is to drive a whole-of-government, coordinated approach to respond to people who perpetrate domestic and family violence and integrates prevention, intervention, response and recovery efforts,” the NSW Government said in a statement.

The State Government allocated $5 million in the 2024/25 Budget for perpetrator research and effective interventions.

Part of that funding was to develop the Strategy, with an Action Plan for implementing it.

The Strategy focuses on stopping, disrupting and changing perpetrators’ harmful behaviours.

Major funding, including $484.3 million for boosting access to safe and crisis accommodation and specialist supports for almost 3,000 women and children leaving domestic and family violence, and a further $48 million for expanding a specialist program to break the cycle of DFV have been hailed as critical investments.

“Actions under the strategy will be rolled out over time, including continuing work that is already underway, such as the Men’s Behaviour Change Program, strengthening services, building evidence on effective interventions, improving collaboration between services and evaluating progress,” the government said in a statement.

The government consulted with more than 300 stakeholders, including people with lived experience, service providers, peak bodies, academics and regional communities in developing this strategy, with all calling for stronger, earlier action to prevent the use of violence.

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said, “It is essential to prevent violence from happening in the first place, with work having already begun in primary prevention.

“This strategy is the next step. Real change requires addressing the perpetration of violence, to strengthen our responses to people who use domestic and family violence.

NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Dr Hannah Tonkin said action was required on “multiple fronts to address the shocking rates of domestic and family violence we see in NSW”.

“Policies and programs focused on people who use violence are essential to improve accountability, prevent further violence, and keep women and children safe,” Dr Tonkin said.

“This new strategy represents an important step towards a more holistic approach to addressing domestic and family violence that includes prevention, early intervention, response and recovery efforts.”

No to Violence CEO Phillip Ripper said the delivery of the Strategy was a “historic moment in Australia’s efforts to end men’s use of family violence”

“The release of NSW’s first dedicated strategy to stop violence at the source is a landmark achievement by the Minns Government and a significant shift toward genuine prevention.

“By placing responsibility back on the source of harm, the Minns Government is leading the nation.”

In implementation of the strategy, Domestic Violence NSW CEO Delia Donovan said it is vital that the specialist domestic and family violence sector is engaged as a key expert in designing and embedding programs and responses for people who use violence.

“Genuine impact will also depend on meaningful and sustained funding to ensure that services are properly resourced to deliver the actions proposed and meet the strategy’s objectives,” Ms Donovan said.

Barnardos Australia welcomed the strategy’s acknowledgement of children as victim-survivors of DFV in their own right, but says more must be done to protect them.

Barnardos frontline worker Eliza Gibbs said the state government should go one step further and put it into legislation.

“For the first time this strategy acknowledges the obvious: children are not just witnesses to domestic violence, they are victim survivors. The recognition matters,” Eliza Gibbs said.

“Children need more than acknowledgement.

“Along with their non-offending parent, usually their mother, they need to receive age-appropriate trauma-informed counselling and specialist support so they can recover, build strong relationships and enjoy the childhood they deserve.

“Under the current legislation and policies regarding DFV, children are only seen as an extension of their mother’s needs, they are not counted or recognised as victim-survivors in their own right and therefore, remain silent and hidden.”

In 2024, NSW Police recorded more than 100,000 domestic violence–related crimes, and 39 people in New South Wales were killed in domestic violence-related murders.

BOCSAR data reveals that in the last 10 years, domestic violence sexual offences increased by 103 percent, domestic violence assaults rose by 31 percent and breaches of Apprehended Violence Orders increased by 90 percent.