Victim Survivors' Advisory Council

Putting people with lived experience of family violence at the heart of the reform agenda.

The Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council (VSAC) was created to give people with lived experience of family violence a voice and to capture those insights to improve the delivery of Victoria's family violence reform.

VSAC represents the lived experiences of people of different ages, genders, demographics and communities across Victoria.

Victim Survivors' Advisory Council Chair Jennifer Jackson giving a media interview VSAC Chair Jennifer Jackson giving a media interview

VSAC's role is to:

  • place people with lived experience at the centre of family violence reform
  • include people who have experienced family violence in service design of the reform
  • advise on how family violence reform initiatives will impact on people who use services
  • ensure the government’s response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence meets the expectations of people with lived experience
  • ensure advice to the government reflects the diversity of the family violence experience

VSAC's voice informs the Rolling Action Plan

The government consulted with VSAC during the drafting of the Rolling Action Plan 2020-2023. Council members participated in four online workshops during winter 2020.

The workshops focussed on four of the reform priority areas for 2020-2023: Courts, Legal Assistance, Housing and Primary Prevention. Individual members provided additional feedback through survey responses on the Engage Victoria platform.

The Rolling Action Plan is better for their feedback and insight and their collective voices are reflected throughout.

Membership

Members are appointed by the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence. Currently, all positions are filled until December 2021.

Profiles of current VSAC members

Reflections of the first VSAC members

This video features contributions from members who served on the council from its inception in 2016 until 2020.

Victim Survivors' Advisory Council 2016-2019

BACK TO THE ROLLING ACTION PLAN

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