ABSTRACT
At a time when domestic and family violence (DFV) is being cast as a national emergency, comparable to terrorism, it is timely to review the relationship between feminist advocacy and state-led responses. The principles of long-standing feminist interventions into DFV, which privilege victims’ accounts of their experience, are at risk of being sidelined in the contemporary emphasis on evidence-based policy and atheoretical approaches. However, promising signs are evident in interventions that support women’s economic security, safe and permanent housing, and employment. These interventions are constituted by specific, local networks of actors including government and non-government organisations. The effects of DFV can be distributed across multiple domains, including workplaces, housing, and courts. These diverse effects may best suit an integrated, multi-systemic response, which is based on recognition of the importance of empowerment, agency, and meeting practical needs.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1 Factiva search, ‘domestic violence’ Source Australia/Oceania 25 August 2015.
8 The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, for example, was produced as a response to the directive by the Commonwealth for an ‘evidence-based plan’ and includes ‘improving the evidence base’ as one of its ‘foundations for change’. A key task for ANROWS is to ‘to develop a cohesive and comprehensive national evidence base’ (ANROWS Citation2014; COAG Citation2013).
22 Chang, Dado, Ashton, Hawker, Cluss, Buranosky and Scholle (Citation2006).
25 Baker, Billhardt, Warren, Rollins and Glass (Citation2010); Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (Citation2014).
27 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (Citation2014).
28 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (Citation2014).
39 Breckenridge, Chung, Spinney and Zufferey (Citation2015).
43 Breckenridge, Hamer, Newton and valentine (Citation2013).
44 This is sometimes referred to as ‘sexually transmitted debt’ and is a form of economic abuse.
49 ‘Redfern Legal Centre Warns Clients Will Miss Out as Funding Crisis Hits Sector’, Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney), 17 May 2015.
Council of Australian Governments (2013) National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children: Including the First Three-Year Action Plan, Council of Australian Governments. Evan Stark (2007) Coercive Control: How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life, Oxford University Press. Nicole Westmarland and Liz Kelly (2013) ‘Why Extending Measurements of ‘Success’ in Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes Matters for Social Work’ 43 British Journal of Social Work 1092–1110. doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcs049 Nicole Westmarland and Liz Kelly (2013) ‘Why Extending Measurements of ‘Success’ in Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes Matters for Social Work’ 43 British Journal of Social Work 1092–1110. doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcs049 Evan Stark (2007) Coercive Control: How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life, Oxford University Press. Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety Limited (ANROWS) (2014) National Research Agenda to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, ANROWS. Council of Australian Governments (2013) National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children: Including the First Three-Year Action Plan, Council of Australian Governments. Paige L Sweet (2015) ‘Chronic Victims, Risky Women: Domestic Violence Advocacy and the Medicalization of Abuse’ 41 Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 81–106. doi: 10.1086/681772 Liz Kelly (1988) Surviving Sexual Violence, Polity Press. Jan Breckenridge (1999) ‘Of Subjugation and Silences: The Role of the Professions in Shaping Cultural Understandings of Sexual and Domestic Violence’ in J Breckenridge and L Laing (eds) Challenging Silence-Innovative Responses to Sexual and Domestic Violence, Allen and Unwin. Paige L Sweet (2015) ‘Chronic Victims, Risky Women: Domestic Violence Advocacy and the Medicalization of Abuse’ 41 Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 81–106. doi: 10.1086/681772 Elizabeth Ben-Ishai (2009) ‘The Autonomy-Fostering State: “Coordinated Fragmentation” and Domestic Violence Services’ 17 Journal of Political Philosophy 307–331. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9760.2008.00315.x Elizabeth Ben-Ishai (2009) ‘The Autonomy-Fostering State: “Coordinated Fragmentation” and Domestic Violence Services’ 17 Journal of Political Philosophy 307–331. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9760.2008.00315.x Elizabeth Ben-Ishai (2009) ‘The Autonomy-Fostering State: “Coordinated Fragmentation” and Domestic Violence Services’ 17 Journal of Political Philosophy 307–331. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9760.2008.00315.x Elizabeth Ben-Ishai (2009) ‘The Autonomy-Fostering State: “Coordinated Fragmentation” and Domestic Violence Services’ 17 Journal of Political Philosophy 307–331. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9760.2008.00315.x Lisbeth Schorr (2003) Determining “What Works” in Social Programs and Social Policies: Toward a More Inclusive Knowledge Base, Harvard University. Brian W Head (2008) ‘Three Lenses of Evidence-based Policy’ 67 Australian Journal of Public Administration 1–11. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8500.2007.00564.x James O Prochaska, Carlo C DiClemente and John C Norcross (1992) ‘In Search of how People Change: Applications to Addictive Behaviors’ 47 American Psychologist 1102–1114. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.47.9.1102 Pamela Y Frasier, Lisa Slatt, Vicki Kowlowitz and Patricia T Glowa (2001) ‘Using the Stages of Change Model to Counsel Victims of Intimate Partner Violence’ 43 Patient Education and Counseling 211–217. doi: 10.1016/S0738-3991(00)00152-X Centre for Innovative Justice (2015) Opportunities for Early Intervention: Bringing Perpetrators of Family Violence Into View, Centre for Innovative Justice, RMIT University. Cris M Sullivan (2011) ‘Evaluating Domestic Violence Support Service Programs: Waste of Time, Necessary Evil, or Opportunity for Growth?’ 16 Aggression and Violent Behavior 354–360. doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2011.04.008 Judy C Chang, Diane Dado, Susan Ashton, Lynn Hawker, Patricia A Cluss, Raquel Buranosky and Sarah Hudson Scholle (2006) ‘Understanding Behavior Change for Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence: Mapping the Ups and Downs Using the Stages of Change’ 62 Patient Education and Counseling 330–339. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2006.06.009 Angela Spinney (2012) Home and Safe? Policy and Practice Innovations to Prevent Women and Children who have Experienced Domestic and Family Violence from Becoming Homeless, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. Jan Breckenridge Inara Walden and Gabrielle Flax (2014) Staying Home Leaving Violence Evaluation Final Report, Gendered Violence Research Network, UNSW Australia. C Baker, K Billhardt, J Warren, C Rollins and N Glass (2010) ‘Domestic Violence, Housing Instability and Homelessness: A Review of Housing Policies and Program Practices for Meeting the Needs of Survivors’ 15 Aggression and Violent Behavior 430–439. doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2010.07.005 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2014) Specialist Homelessness Services: 2013–2014. Cat. No. HOU 276. NSW Supplmentary Tables, AIHW. Angela Spinney (2012) Home and Safe? Policy and Practice Innovations to Prevent Women and Children who have Experienced Domestic and Family Violence from Becoming Homeless, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2014) Specialist Homelessness Services: 2013–2014. Cat. No. HOU 276. NSW Supplmentary Tables, AIHW. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2014) Specialist Homelessness Services: 2013–2014. Cat. No. HOU 276. NSW Supplmentary Tables, AIHW. Cate Nunan and Llewellyn John (1996) Raising the Roof on Women’s Homelessness: A Framework for Policy Development, Women’s Emergency Services Network. Donna Chung, Rosemary Kennnedy, Bev O’Brien and Sarah Wendt (2000) The Link between Domestic and Family Violence and Women’s Homelessness, Wesnet and the Department of Family and Community Services. Selina Tually, Debbie Faulkner, Cecile Cutler and Michele Slatter (2008) Women, Domestic and Family Violence and Homelessness, Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban and Regional Research Australia, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Suellen Murray (2008) ‘Why Doesn’t She Just Leave? Belonging, Disruption and Domestic Violence’ 31 Women’s Studies International Forum 5–72. doi: 10.1016/j.wsif.2007.11.008 Jan Breckenridge, Donna Chung, Angela Spinney and Carole Zufferey (2015) National Mapping and Meta-Evaluation Outlining Key Features of Effective “Safe at Home” Programs that Enhance Safety and Prevent Homelessness for Women and their Children who have Experienced Domestic and Family Violence, Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety Limited (ANROWS). A Beer, D Faulkner and M Gabriel (2006) 21st Century Housing Careers and Australia’s Housing Futures: Research Paper 1, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Southern Research Centre. Bruce Smyth and Ruth Weston (2000) Financial Living Standards after Divorce: A Recent Snapshot, Aistralian Institute of Family Studies. Ludo McFerran (2010) It Could Be You: Female, Single, Older and Homeless, Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse. Rochelle Braaf and Isobelle Barrett Meyering (2011) Seeking Security: Promoting Women’s Economic Wellbeing Following Domestic Violence, Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse. Matthew Gray, David De Vaus, Lixia Qu and David Stanton (2011) ‘Divorce and the Wellbeing of Older Australians’ 31 Ageing & Society 475–498. doi: 10.1017/S0144686X10001017 Donna Chung, Rosemary Kennnedy, Bev O’Brien and Sarah Wendt (2000) The Link between Domestic and Family Violence and Women’s Homelessness, Wesnet and the Department of Family and Community Services. Rochelle Braaf and Isobelle Barrett Meyering (2011) Seeking Security: Promoting Women’s Economic Wellbeing Following Domestic Violence, Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse. Tanya Corrie and Magdalena McGuire (2013) Economic Abuse: Searching for Solutions, a Spotlight on Economic Abuse: Research Report, Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services. Natasha Cortis and Jane Bullen (2015) Building Effective Policies and Services to Promote Women’s Economic Security Following Domestic Violence, ANROWS. Tanya Corrie and Magdalena McGuire (2013) Economic Abuse: Searching for Solutions, a Spotlight on Economic Abuse: Research Report, Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services. Jan Breckenridge, Donna Chung, Angela Spinney and Carole Zufferey (2015) National Mapping and Meta-Evaluation Outlining Key Features of Effective “Safe at Home” Programs that Enhance Safety and Prevent Homelessness for Women and their Children who have Experienced Domestic and Family Violence, Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety Limited (ANROWS). Jan Breckenridge, Jen Hamer, BJ Newton and kylie valentine (2013) NSW Homelessness Action Plan Extended Evaluation: Final Evaluation Report for Long-Term Accommodation and Support for Women and Children Experiencing Domestic and Family Violence (4 reports), Centre for Gender Related Violence Studies and the Social Policy Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales. Judy L Postmus and Sur Ah Hahn (2007) ‘The Collaboration between Welfare and Advocacy Organisations: Learning from the Experiences of Domestic Violence Survivors’ 88 Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services 475–484. doi: 10.1606/1044-3894.3658 Rochelle Braaf and Isobelle Barrett Meyering (2011) Seeking Security: Promoting Women’s Economic Wellbeing Following Domestic Violence, Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse. Belinda Fehlberg and Christine Millward (2014) ‘Family Violence and Financial Outcomes after Parental Separation’ in A Hayes and D Higgins (eds) Families, Policy and the Law: Selected Essays on Contemporary Issues for Australia, Australian Institute of Family Studies. Council of Australian Governments COAG Communique, COAG meeting, 17 April 2015, (Canberra 2015). Productivity Commission (2014) Access to Justice Arrangements, Commonwealth of Australia 2014. Marian Baird, Ludo McFerran and Ingrid Wright (2014) ‘An Equality Bargaining Breakthrough: Paid Domestic Violence Leave’ 56 Journal of Industrial Relations 190–207. doi: 10.1177/0022185613517471