Warm greetings to our colleagues in the domestic, family and sexual violence community.  

New video call channel 

On 12 March 2024, Minister for Social Services, the Hon Amanda Rishworth MP and Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, the Hon Justine Elliot MP, announced that people affected by domestic, family and sexual violence can now contact 1800RESPECT via video call.

As the national front door to support people affected by domestic, family and sexual violence, being accessible and inclusive is essential and it’s an exciting milestone for the service to have four different channels in which individuals can connect with 1800RESPECT counsellors.

Users simply need to click the video call button on the 1800RESPECT website from a compatible mobile device, tablet or computer and follow the prompts to connect to a counsellor. Video call is available Monday to Friday 9am-5pm AEST (excluding national public holidays) and does not require a person to make an appointment.

In November last year, 1800RESPECT introduced SMS as an additional way to contact the service, and we’ve seen a trend of first-time users contacting the service via this new channel. It is hoped we will see similar insights with the introduction of video call.

Resources - Insight Exchange

Insight Exchange sends their heartfelt thanks to every person involved, especially the people who shared lived experience insights for the benefit of many.

Research and reports

Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality: Launched by the Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher. This Strategy outlines the Australian Government's vision for gender equality – an Australia where people are safe, treated with respect, have choices, and have access to resources and equal outcomes no matter their gender. 

The Commonwealth Consent Policy Framework:  The Australian Government has developed a framework to support any organisation working to prevent sexual violence, to promote healthy sexual relationships and sexual consent to young people. 

Report on Government Services 2024 - Productivity Commission: The report reveals key data including a nearly 50 per cent increase in reported sexual assaults over the past decade. The incidence of reported sexual assaults in 2022 is 0.12 per cent of the population (124 out of 100,000 Australians), compared to 0.09 per cent (87 out of 100,000) in 2013. 

Disconnected & Insecure: The intersection between experiences of long COVID and intimate partner violence (IPV): This study examines the intersection between long COVID and IPV. Victim-survivors described losing control of their health and then losing control of their safety within their relationship. The significance of this project’s findings lies in its ambition to make visible the previously unseen impacts of long COVID on individuals living with domestic violence. 

Reimagining general insurance products to improve financial safety: A report by the Centre for Women's Economic Safety reveals that insurance products are being exploited by domestic violence perpetrators to control and financially abuse their partners, resulting in victim-survivors facing property damage and financial instability, with long-term consequences on safety, autonomy, and economic well-being.  

Media

Ministerial media release: Australians in need of family, domestic and sexual violence support now have an additional avenue for receiving assistance, with the official launch of a new, on-demand video counselling service through 1800RESPECT. 

Women's Agenda: The national information and support service for domestic, family and sexual violence 1800RESPECT has launched an on-demand video counselling service. 

Women’s Agenda: A new First Nations steering committee will advise the government on how it can best work to reduce rates of family violence and abuse against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. 

Ministerial media release: Investing and accelerating this International Women’s Day. 

ABC: How do couples with kids keep their finances separate? Includes information on financial abuse.  

ABC: Australian Law Reform Commission tasked with inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence. 

ABC: Government guidelines on teaching children sexual consent advise starting early and using plain language. 

The Guardian: Labor launches review into how justice system deals with sexual violence cases. 

Mamamia: An article by a victim survivor looks at the signs of grooming in an abuser and child victim. 

ABC: Victim-survivors of domestic violence share how we can help them feel safer to disclose abuse. 

The Guardian: Australia’s first independent watchdog to tackle gender-based violence on university campuses has been given the green light by education ministers – in a move hailed as “breathtaking” by student safety advocates.  

If you are writing a news article, blog, podcast or television episode on domestic, family or sexual violence, please use the 1800RESPECT tagline. Reading about violence and abuse can be triggering. Including our tagline in your piece allows those who are impacted by media coverage to know immediately who they can reach out to for support. 

For a copy of our tagline and contact details for media enquiries, please visit the News and Media section of our website. 

Conferences and key dates

29 March – 1 April: Easter long-weekend 

31 March: Transgender Day of Visibility   

7 April: World Health Day   

25 April: ANZAC Day  

May: QLD Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month  

DV-alert training delivered by Lifeline since 2007, is a nationally accredited training program to build the knowledge and capability of frontline workers to recognise domestic and family violence, respond with care, and refer to appropriate services. Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, DV-alert training is available in face-to-face workshops, virtual workshops and eLearning courses. Go to dvalert.org.au, attend a workshop, and be empowered to act. 

The Office of the eSafety Commissioner delivers a range of free webinars as professional development for frontline, specialist and support staff in the domestic violence and disability sector across Australia. Topics include ‘Technology-facilitated abuse in domestic and family violence situations’ and ‘Supporting children and young people – technology-facilitated abuse in domestic and family violence situations’. Register on the eSafety website. 

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Funded by the Australian Government