With a variety of different organisations in Australia providing services to survivors / victims of violence, it is important to recognise the proven efficacy of the established specialist women’s services sector. These services are at the forefront of ending violence against women. The impact and effectiveness of these specialist services is underpinned by a set of good practice principles that are supported by international research and evidence-based practice Comprehensive and integrated good-practice response of these services is underpinned by (1) a rights-based approach that enables understanding of the gendered nature of the violence, its causes and consequences and (2) empowers survivors / victims by enabling self-determination, control over processes and choice. Good- practice service provision, taking (3) a client-centred approach, remains accountable to victims / survivors and (4) places their safety, needs and interests at the centre of all decisions. It also works to ensure that (5) perpetrators are held accountable for their use of violence. Good-practice service provision delivers (6) culturally-sensitive, holistic and accessible services to diverse groups of women. Using these principles as a framework, specialist women’s services are working to ensure the efficacy of the support they provide and to create the conditions for survivors / victims to access justice. These principles should underpin the delivery and coordination of all essential services responding to women and children subjected to violence. Download the pdf version of the brochure here Download the word version of the brochure here For a printed copy, please email [email protected] [1] AWAVA 2016: The role of specialist women’s services in Australia’s response to violence against women and their children https://awava.org.au/2016/04/07/research/role-specialist-womens-services-australias-response-violence-women-children
Brochure: The Unique Role of Specialist Women’s Services in Ending Violence against Women
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