Map roles and responsibilities of all organisations in contact with perpetrators

The Royal Commission into Family Violence identified the need to develop a sense of collective responsibility for improving perpetrator interventions and to ‘keep perpetrators in view’ across all relevant government departments and agencies. The Royal Commission identified the need to work in a mutually reinforcing way to a common objective and to a common set of principles.

The Centre for Innovative Justice (CIJ) supported DPC to implement Recommendation 85 by conducting research and consultations on the roles and responsibilities of the government and non-government agencies and services within the perpetrator interventions system, and providing a framework to inform services who have contact with perpetrators.

Work to implement Recommendation 85 has been a critical enabler for future innovation in holding perpetrators of family violence to account in Victoria, and stop family violence at the source. The CIJ’s research continues to usefully support and inform whole-of-government family violence service redesign reforms including implementation of the Family Violence Industry Plan, development of the Orange Door (Support and Safety Hubs) guidance for perpetrator engagement, and the multi-agency risk assessment and management framework (MARAM).

In late 2016, DPC engaged RMIT’s Centre for Innovative Justice (CIJ) to conduct extensive research and consultations on the roles and responsibilities of the government, non-government agencies and services that have contact with family violence perpetrators. CIJ produced a preliminary overview to inform the development of Ending Family Violence: Victoria’s Plan for Change (The 10 Year Plan), which focused on perpetrator pathways through six universal sub-systems. This research provided a strong foundation for more comprehensive mapping work.

Through 2017, DPC and the CIJ consulted widely with peak bodies and service providers to refine and test its research, ensuring that a broad range of views were reflected in the CIJ’s research, and identifying any leading practice for the consideration of government. Workshops involved a variety of sectors, including mental health services, disability services, alcohol and drug services, services for victim survivors, LGBTI services and services that work with CALD communities.

The CIJ’s research provides a framework of roles and responsibilities to inform services who have contact with perpetrators. It is foundational research that will inform the advice of the Expert Advisory Committee on Perpetrator Interventions as it develops its final report to government on the suite of interventions that should be available to respond to all perpetrators of family violence.

Confirmation has been made regarding the principles that should inform the programs, services and initiatives required to respond to all perpetrators of family violence informed by advice from the Expert Advisory Committee on Perpetrator Interventions. These principles will continue to inform the design and prioritisation of future perpetrator interventions in Victoria, and provide high-level guidance to the services and agencies delivering interventions to ensure all parties are working with shared aims and common goals.

Implemented.