This submission draws on the survey conducted by AWAVA in May-June 2018, as well as AWAVA’s policy positions established in consultation with our members and networks including peak bodies and other diverse organisations from every State and Territory in Australia working in areas such as domestic and family violence, sexual assault, legal assistance, and education.
The Fourth Action Plan is a milestone in the efforts to respond to violence against women in Australia. Being the last four-year plan of the 12-year timeframe, it represents a crucial opportunity for honest evaluation and thoughtful planning towards ongoing, consistent and well-resourced efforts to reduce and ultimately end violence against women.
AWAVA offers a comprehensive structure that policy-makers might find useful in conceptualising the priority areas for the Fourth Action Plan, and working towards a second National Plan. We offer a framework for addressing violence against women and their children holistically by taking intersectional approaches to end violence against women, addressing violence against diverse groups of women and their children, addressing different types of violence against women, strengthening systems and services, and improving coordination and governance. For all the efforts to be sustainable and successful, long-term funding is required.
