Who is leading the change
- Family Safety Victoria
The Victorian Government ensure funding of specialist family violence and sexual assault services to facilitate their collaboration by:
- promoting and, if necessary, resourcing shared casework models
- establishing secondary consultation pathways
- participating in the recommended Support and Safety Hubs
- developing guidelines and protocols for facilitating information sharing
- participating in joint education and training
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Our response to the Royal Commission into Family Violence will support greater collaboration and better coordination between family violence and sexual assault services across a number of areas of reform. Key areas of focus include:
- development of The Orange Door , with opportunities to build greater understanding about the occurrence of sexual assault in the context of family violence
- reform of the information sharing regime, with sexual assault services as a prescribed organisation within the legislation
- implementation of the Family Violence Multi Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM), considering the interrelated roles and responsibilities of sexual assault services
- key interdependencies and opportunities to strengthen collaboration will be identified through mapping and consultation with family violence and sexual assault services
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A range of reforms are contributing to this recommendation including:
- the development of a sexual assault strategy, that will commence in 2021
- strengthening the interface between sexual assault services and The Orange Door Network,
- working with Aboriginal community to design a training package and practice tools for Aboriginal workforce about responding to disclosures of sexual abuse
- implementation of 3 Aboriginal designed and led sexual assault programs,
- continuing to roll out the Sexually Abusive Behaviours Treatment Services and the implementation of the redeveloped MARAM Framework
A workshop about embedding MARAM has been co-hosted by No To Violence, Domestic Violence Victoria and Sexual Assault Services Victoria.
Sexual Assault Services Victoria and Domestic Violence Victoria have undertaken a project to map the fundamental elements of existing relationships between the sexual assault and family violence sectors. A Technical Advisory Group comprising representatives from both sectors supported which focused on the opportunities of shared case work, secondary consultation and learning and development between the two sectors. This project will inform the development of the sexual assault strategy.
In addition, work is continuing with sexual assault services, including CASAs, and multi-disciplinary centres (MDCs) to determine how these services will interact with The Orange Door Network. This work is focused on ensuring victim survivors of sexual assault have access to support based on their needs and choices.
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Forecast implementation date: 30 June 2022.
Reviewed 06 January 2021