On 27 November 2025, Women’s Health Matters launched the first two reports from the Victim Survivor Voice pilot project:
- ‘It starts with disrespect’: Victim Survivor Voice consultation report for the development of the ACT Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Strategy
- ‘Too urgent to rush’: Victim Survivor Voice consultation report for improving ACT justice system responses and community awareness of coercive control
These reports draw together extensive insights from consultation with victim survivors across the ACT and will inform the ACT Government’s priority reform areas, including improving justice responses to coercive control and the development of the ACT Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Strategy.
The launch will be attended by ACT Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Dr Marisa Paterson, MLA.
“The insights drawn from lived experience expressed in these two reports provide critical guidance on how we can improve responses to Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence. I am grateful to Women’s Health Matters for leading this important work and providing a mechanism for victim survivors to share their expertise, which is already being actively considered in policy and law reform projects, including in relation to the criminalisation of coercive control. I want to thank all participants in the Victim Survivor Voices project. Your voice is central to our ongoing efforts to combat gender-based violence,” Minister Paterson said of the consultations.
The reports highlight a number of opportunities to develop comprehensive solutions to addressing violence in the ACT, including the opportunity for whole-of-system responses to domestic, family and sexual violence. Enormous opportunity also exists across healthcare, education, justice, housing, child protection, employment and community settings to recognise and respond to warning signs before violence escalates. Support for victim survivors that continues beyond crisis to address the long-term physical, mental, emotional, physical and economic impacts they face would provide opportunity for long term healing and recovery.
Women’s Health Matters CEO, Lauren Anthes, noted the importance of lived experience in identifying practical ways to improve outcomes. “The Victim Survivor Voice pilot program gives victim survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence a direct role in shaping ACT policies, services and systems. Four key priorities emerged from consultation with victim survivors on the ACT Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Strategy and justice responses to coercive control: prevent violence before it starts, equip every ACT system to take action, increase access to support beyond crisis, and prioritise children and young people. The critical next step is embedding these four priorities across all reform efforts while ensuring victim survivors remain engaged and empowered to guide implementation”.
Consultations also highlighted theopportunity to increase support for young victim survivors. Currently, support for children and young people is a critical gap in the ACT service system. Accessible, age-appropriate support pathways that respond to the distinct experiences, voices and needs of young victim survivors can change the trajectory of their lives.
Victim survivors told us that we must not accept that domestic, family and sexual violence is inevitable. We heard that these forms of violence are increasing across the ACT, yet individual solutions alone won’t be enough to create change. Violence is enabled by broader social attitudes and beliefs that normalise coercive and controlling behaviour. A dedicated focus on addressing the root causes and cultural attitudes that enable violence in our community is part of the solution.
We acknowledge that more work is needed to ensure the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victim survivors are included in efforts to shape solutions. The ACT Government have funded Sisters in Spirit Aboriginal Corporation to partner with Women’s Health Matters to uplift the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in the Victim Survivor Voice pilot. The Victim Survivor Voice pilot has been extended until 2027, with the next phase focused on expanding the breadth of victim survivor perspectives.
Please visit the Women’s Health Matters website to find the reports and further information about the Victim Survivor Voice pilot project.
To request an interview please contact media@womenshealthmatters.org.au