On 15 February 2011 the Australia Government published Safe and Free from Violence – The National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-22 (The National Plan), outlining a 12-year strategy to address domestic and sexual violence by coordinating action across all Australian governments and communities. The National Plan is based on four three-year rolling Action Plans.

 

AWAVA commends the Commonwealth Government for its release of the National Plan and for its leadership in addressing Australia’s violence against women epidemic. We are particularly encouraged by the National Plan’s strong focus on prevention, which is fundamental for the prevention of gender-based violence. The National Plan has a long term focus – building respectful relationships and working to increase gender equality to prevent violence from occurring in the first place.

 

The vision of the National Plan:  Australian women and their children live free from violence in safe communities

National Plan Target: a significant and sustained reduction in violence against women and their children,’ during the next 12 years, from 2010 to 2022

 

National Outcomes:

  1. Communities are safe and free from violence
  2. Relationships are respectful
  3. Indigenous communities are strengthened
  4. Services meet the needs of women and their children experiencing violence
  5. Justice responses are effective; and
  6. Perpetrators stop their violence and are held to account

Key initiatives under the National Plan include:

  • established a 24-hour telephone counselling hotline 1800 RESPECT, to support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault
  • launched a social marketing campaign, The Line, which encourages young people to develop healthy, respectful relationships
  • Established Our Watch to drive nation-wide change in the culture, behaviours and attitudes that lead to violence against women and children
  • Established Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety, which is responsible for delivering relevant and translatable research evidence which drives policy and practice leading to a reduction in the levels of violence against women and their children
  • increased support for frontline workers and rewards States and Territories when they promote best practice perpetrator intervention

 

 

National Plan Links:

Second Action Plan: Moving Ahead 2013-2016

Brochure: The Second Action Plan

Fact sheet: How the Second Action Plan helps Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Women

Fact sheet: How the Second Action Plan helps Women with Disability

Fact sheet: How the Second Action Plan helps Indigenous Women

Translated versions of the Second Action Plan Brochure and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse fact sheet can be found here.