Seeking Security: - Australian Domestic and Family Violence ...

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• Governments to provide women affected by domestic violence assistance to secure accommodation; e.g.: àà a separation payment for women leaving violence; rental subsidies; mortgage assistance for low income earners àà more targeted funding for crisis accommodation and transitional housing where domestic violence is an issue àà increased public housing stock; priority given to housing domestic violence victims àà review policies that require women to leave their jobs in order to gain access to refuges. Legal issues • Government to amend the Family Law Act 1975 to give greater consideration to domestic violence in family law cases, to promote more equitable financial settlements and reduce victim court costs; e.g.: àà consideration of domestic violence as a cause of victims’ financial loss 14 àà introduce monitoring around adherence to parenting orders, with penalties for non compliance • Legal Aid to review its policies with the aim of improving service to domestic violence clients; e.g.: àà widen eligibility criteria for domestic violence victims; assist in complex cases Seeking Security: Promoting Women’s Economic Wellbeing Following Domestic Violence Health àà allocate the same lawyer throughout a case àà means test to take into account victims’ lack of access to funds • Legal bodies to develop specialised domestic violence training and information for the judiciary, court and legal officers, to be promoted by Attorneys General and organisations with judicial oversight; e.g.: àà establish a domestic violence benchbook and/or web site; establish a national institute of family violence • Attorneys General to implement more integrated specialist domestic violence courts. • Governments and services to increase women’s access to victim compensation for injuries and illness resulting from domestic violence; e.g.: àà provision of information to clients and services; specific provisions in schemes for victims of domestic violence • Governments to increase access to health services for women and children affected by domestic violence; e.g.: àà extend eligibility for the Health Care Card to victims of domestic violence àà provide more comprehensive coverage of medical treatment under Medicare, particularly around dentistry, mental health treatment and physiotherapy àà introduce a levy system for ambulance services.
Transport • Governments to make car ownership more affordable for victims of domestic violence; e.g.: àà give women access to petrol vouchers; low interest loans for cars; discounted car insurance; and free or subsidised driving lessons • Governments to improve access to public transport; e.g.: àà more subsidies for domestic violence victims. Migration • Governments to provide targeted information about domestic violence to migrant women; e.g.: àà deliver information for newly arrived migrants through workshops, as part of English classes and through embassies and via the internet, radio, and television • Governments to provide migrant victims of violence with increased access to material, financial or legal support; e.g.: àà faster processing of visa applications; widened eligibility for income support through the Special Benefit; establish dedicated refuge places. 15 Employment • Employers to establish supportive workplace arrangements for employees affected by domestic violence; e.g.: àà provide paid leave for employees to attend to domestic violence matters; institute safety provisions; training for managers • Governments to expand the capacity for women affected by domestic violence to (re)- enter the workforce; e.g.: àà increase support to access education and training àà provide more childcare options and financial support to make this affordable àà provide greater financial incentives to take up employment for those receiving entitlements through raised thresholds for payment cut offs or introduction of tax and child care credits. Social security • Centrelink to institute a domestic violence policy to better assist clients who are victims; e.g: àà assign a single domestic violence case worker to clients when they disclose àà develop an information package about entitlements and processes for clients when they first disclose àà provide specialised income support and vouchers when women first separate; increase the crisis payment and extend the period in which to apply to six months; widen migrant eligibility for the Special Benefit àà provide voluntary financial literacy and counselling services àà provide officers with domestic violence awareness training • Government to change its policy of compulsory income management for clients to a voluntary scheme. www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au
Page 1 and 2: Seeking security: promoting women
Page 3 and 4: Acknowledgements This research was
Page 5 and 6: Introduction Domestic violence is a
Page 7 and 8: Key messages from the research Firs
Page 9 and 10: Deciding to Leave Financial circums
Page 11 and 12: Strategies Study participants ackno
Page 13 and 14: System barriers also limited women
Page 15: Conclusions Notions of independence
Page 19: References Australian Bureau of Sta

Seeking Security: - Australian Domestic and Family Violence ...

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