Micaela Cronin: We can end family violence. But we need to know what works

Alice Rose McShera. Maria Dimasi. Lilie James. Just three of the more than 55 women allegedly murdered this year at the hands of their current or former partner. Men they knew well. Men they shared intimate details of their life with, who knew their families. Men they had, at one point at least, trusted. What will it take to end violence against women and children? As we near the end of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, and as I speak at the National Family Safety Summit here in WA, I once again share a room with people striving to hold onto hope for change while reeling from the number of women and children killed this year. All governments across Australia have united in the shared goal of ending violence against women in one generation. The National Plan to End Violence against Women 2022-2032 lays out the critical importance of focusing our efforts across four domains: prevention, early intervention, response and healing and recovery. The data shows that rates of domestic, family and sexual violence, and the attitudes which excuse that violence, are not shifting fast enough. We are not winning the battle to end violence against women and children — but I believe we can, if we do things differently. Firstly, we need to work together. We need to tackle the growing fragmentation that exists across our institutions and systems, from frontline responses to government agencies, across jurisdictions and services. If we are ever going to break the cycles of violence then we need shared accountability and strong collaboration. We need the best possible evidence about the impact we’re having. This means timely and nuanced data, research and program evaluations, as well as listening to the people directly impacted by domestic, family and sexual violence. We need to evaluate and measure the impact of everything we are doing, and be vigilant about unintended consequences. This means funding and tasking our institutions and organisations to try new things, evaluate, learn and share their findings, so that we can all learn from best practice and avoid past errors. We need to listen to people directly affected. Those who have experienced domestic, family and sexual violence can give us invaluable insight into what needs to change if we are to end violence against women and children in one generation. We need to deeply listen and meaningfully engage with people with lived experience across the vast diversity of our community at every step of the way. We need to engage men. We know that most people who experience violence name a male perpetrator, so we need to know more about men who use violence, and what programs and interventions are working to reach them. We need to be deliberate and open in engaging men in the work of ending violence and in creating positive messages around healthy masculinity. We need to bring everyone, from across all parts of the community, together to collectively end violence against women and children. We need to better understand the impact of what is funded. Australia has seen unprecedented levels of investment and commitment from all governments to end violence against women. We need to better understand where and how this funding has been used, and where it is effective, so that we can expand, embed and continue to fund what works. We also need a workforce strategy so we can ensure we have the people-power to deliver innovation where it is needed, consistency where it is required, and compassion and care, always. Domestic, family and sexual violence is a complex problem. It occurs across all of our communities, in every neighbourhood and many families. It disproportionately impacts some people and groups. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children experience domestic, family and sexual violence at far higher rates, and the First Nations’ women and communities I have spoken with talk about the daily impact of institutional and systemic racism in their lives. Governments, individuals, organisations and businesses across Australia are working hard to end violence against women and children. In my time as Commissioner, the most promising and effective innovations I have seen are being driven by cross-boundary, and cross-sector collaborations, designed and lead by local communities. Creative, and different solutions and unusual partners coming together to work differently. There is no quick fix to ending domestic, family and sexual violence, but together, we can. Micaela Cronin is the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner.