Victim Survivor Voice Project

Background

The ACT Government, through the Office of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, is funding Women’s Health Matters to develop and pilot a consultation model for lived experience of domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) to inform improved services and systems.

The development of the consultation model is, in part, prompted by Recommendation 1 of the 2021 Listen. Take action to prevent, believe and heal report. This report recommended:

“that the ACT Government establish and appropriately resource an ongoing structured consultation program with victim survivors to continue to drive and inform change in the prevention of and response to sexual violence in the ACT”

The scope of the consultation model has been expanded to include domestic and family violence as well as sexual violence. Women’s Health Matters is currently using the language “sexual and gender-based violence” to make development of the model as inclusive as possible.

Other states and territories have developed consultative mechanisms to enable lived experience to inform policy making and media coverage of DFSV (for example, Victoria’s Victim Survivor Advisory Council and the various Voices for Change media advocacy programs). The ACT’s consultation model is intended to strengthen DFSV responses and prevention programs in the ACT, while learning from these other initiatives.

Our approach

We recognise the strengths and challenges of those who have experienced violence and who are still creating safety for themselves and their loved ones. We mourn the loss of life resulting from violence, as well as the loss of time, health, opportunities, financial security, enjoyment, relationships and nurturance.

We recognise the longstanding work of organisations and individuals in the ACT, many with their own experiences of sexual and gender-based violence, in bringing these issues to prominence. These organisations and individuals have worked hard to support people with experience of violence, to prevent violence and to help people give voice to their experiences. Our work builds on and is indebted to all of these efforts.

While there are many parts of the violence prevention and response systems that can be improved, the responsibility for violence sits with those who perpetrate, facilitate and excuse it. All people involved with efforts to end violence are responsible for reflecting on how our work supports that goal, and how we might be undermining it.

We follow these principles in undertaking this work:

• Approach gender-based violence as cultural and widespread, rather than treating these experiences as exceptions to the norm.
• Encompass multifaceted goals, including benefits for people sharing their experiences as well as benefits for government and other organisations being better-informed and better equipped to hear and act.
• Be trauma informed.
• Recognise intersectionality.
• Do no harm.
• Recognise workers as people with experiences of violence.
• Taking intentional and dedicated time and space, knowing success depends on the quality of relationships we build and conditions we set.

Please get in touch if you want to know more about what we mean by any of these principles.

Who is involved

Women’s Health Matters will engage with a range of people and organisations to develop the model pilot, including but not limited to the following overlapping groups:
• People who have experienced violence
• Individuals, community organisations and government agencies focused on responding to and preventing sexual and gender-based violence
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities*
• Multicultural communities
• LGBTIQ+ communities
• People with disabilities
• Young people (aged 18-25)
• People with experience mental illness
• Carers
• Academic and community based researchers

* Our engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities will be undertaken in conjunction with a consultation project being run by Curijo, who have been funded by the Office of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence to consult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the ACT on several issues relating to domestic, family and sexual violence.

Please contact voices@womenshealthmatters.org.au if you would like to ask questions or be involved in this work.

Further support

If you are experiencing sexual or gender-based violence in the ACT and region, please know you are not alone and help is available.

• 1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence service. They can be contacted on 1800 737 732 or www.1800respect.org.au for 24/7 confidential information, counselling and support.
• The Domestic Violence Crisis Service 24/7 crisis intervention line can be contacted on 02 6280 0900 and further information can be found at www.dvcs.org.au.
• The Canberra Rape Crisis Centre crisis line can be contacted on 02 6247 2525 between 7am and 11pm seven days a week and further information can be found at www.crcc.org.au.