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Case study: Roles of different stakeholders
in implementing the 2007 VicHealth framework in Victoria
The Victorian Government developed a range of
policies and programs to drive prevention actions based
on the 2007 VicHealth Framework, including the world’s
first statewide ten-year primary prevention plan –
A Right to Respect. In developing the Plan, the Victorian
Government’s Office for Women’s Policy was supported
by a whole-of-government mandate provided by the
leadership of five Ministers. The Office undertook extensive
consultation across departments, and with experts and
communities, to determine how the strategies in the
framework would align with existing policy approaches,
and where new policy was required. The resulting Plan
reflected the key actions, strategies and settings described
in the VicHealth framework and included significant budget
allocation for immediate implementation. 126
Departments within government then used the framework
to guide their work. The Department of Education used
it to guide research on respectful relationships education
in Victorian schools. Based on the subsequent report, 127
the Department developed comprehensive curriculum
guidance on respectful relationships for years 8 and 9,
along with teacher professional development to support
the new guidance and a whole school model for creating
gender equitable and respectful school environments.
This work is now being implemented in 19 schools across
Victoria, supported by specialist positions based in regional
departmental offices who facilitate access to training, guide
school culture development, ensure linkages with local
community organisations, and provide ongoing technical
and specialist advice to the schools. 128
The Community Crime Prevention Unit in the Department
of Justice used the VicHealth framework to determine the
scope of a new community grants program, with criteria
requiring demonstration of how the proposed projects
would address the drivers of violence across priority
settings, use proven and promising strategies and engage
multiple sectors in joint initiatives. Grant applicants also
used the framework as a platform to build local interest
and engage partners – such as corporate workplaces and
media agencies – in the grant application process. The
program funded eight regional initiatives over three years
that were community-led and linked to existing regional
justice networks, with further roll-out of tried and tested
prevention programs following the first round. 129
In local government, peak body the Municipal
Association of Victoria created a full-time prevention of
violence against women position to support councils to
implement the VicHealth framework in their policies and
programs. The position used the VicHealth framework to
undertake advocacy and build capacity among councils
to foster safe and inclusive environments for women and
men through their existing work areas and funding streams.
Prevention of violence against women is now on the
agenda of almost all Victorian councils, and momentum
and sophistication of the work continues to grow. 130
For crisis response services and other civil society
partners the VicHealth framework provided access to
research and information that they could not otherwise
afford to obtain themselves, along with clear definitions
of prevention and prevention activity upon which to
base their work with partners and stakeholders. For
example, Domestic Violence Victoria drew on the
framework to develop an influential program of work with
media, the Centres against Sexual Assault and the
Domestic Violence Resource Centre of Victoria used
it to develop innovative resources for young people, while
women’s health services used it to drive collective regional
approaches to prevention.
In schools, sporting organisations, workplaces and
communities across Victoria, and in health, justice,
academic and corporate sectors, activity is increasingly
taking place to prevent violence against women, with
many now viewing the work as core business. Training
provided through an associated short course, along with
specialist positions in peak bodies (such as the Municipal
Association of Victoria), and communities of practice
established for work in different sectors, are all helping
support existing work and the increasing demand for new
prevention activity across Victoria.
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