29 July 2015

Urgent action needed on family and sexual violence

The Government’s stocktake of family and sexual violence spending must now be followed up by a commitment to spending the money needed to prevent the violence in the first place the Green Party said.

“I’m relieved that the Government are making family and sexual violence one of their top priorities, and creating a framework for a better response,” Green Party Women’s Spokesperson Jan Logie said.

“We hope this signals an end to the Government’s erosions of protections for survivors such as Family Court reforms, and squeezing the funding of support agencies such as Women’s Refuge.

“When so many women and children are being abused, it undermines our whole society. Everyone has the right to feel safe and free in this country.

“The Government stocktake shows how poorly we are responding now.

“The largest single area of funding is Corrections. This is particularly galling when only 1-2% of family and sexual violence results in a conviction.

“The second and third largest areas of funding are the Police and Child, Youth, and Family – both of whom have been in the media recently for very public failures to protect women and children who have suffered family and sexual violence. The next largest spend is in our hospitals.

“Most of the Government funding is being spent on the ramifications of its failure to address the violence. Very little is available for support and healing for survivors, let alone the smallest area of spending, primary prevention.

“We look forward to the Government prioritising prevention and support for victim survivors of family and sexual violence as part of a comprehensive and consistent Government response,” Ms Logie said.

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