Last week, the Chief Justice of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1 and Division 2) (the Courts), the Hon William Alstergren AO, introduced a screening of the powerful documentary created by Safe Steps, Unanswered Calls. The film highlights the need for systemic improvement to ensure the voices of children and young people impacted by family violence are heard and that help is provided.
Unanswered Calls was co-created by Dr Chelsea Tobin, CEO of Safe Steps, and presents stories told by young people about their experience as victim-survivors of family violence and the challenges in accessing help and the difficulties they face when multiple systems are involved.
The event followed repeated calls by the Chief Justice for meaningful action to end family violence and provided an opportunity for guests to hear about and consider the impact that family violence has on children and young people, and how they often feel let down and unsupported.
Panel members, Dr Tobin, Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Commissioner Meena Singh and Mr Jason Walker discussed how each part of each system can better address the needs of children who are victim-survivors of family and domestic violence and, how to stop the intergenerational transmission of violence.
Chief Justice Alstergren
As a male who holds a leadership position, in an area that sees some of the worst of gendered violence, I feel compelled to continue to push for meaningful change. We desperately need a bipartisan and multi-faceted approach to primary prevention which will end the cycle of violence in families across Australia. We also need men to be part of the movement to eradicate the terrible rates of family violence in our society.
The statistics are staggering. Our Courts receive over 10,000 new cases each year involving parenting orders for children. 83% of those cases involve allegations of family violence. More than 70% of those cases involve four or more serious risk factors.
In addition, a report by ANROWS on adolescent violence in Australia found that 89% of young people using violence at home reported experiencing child abuse growing up.
This is a shocking statistic and supports the urgent need for action to break the cycle. We must place our focus and investment in services for children who are victim-survivors of family violence.
If we can keep kids safe and support them to recover from the violence and abuse they have experienced, they will be far less likely to use or experience violence in their future relationships. We all have a responsibility to make changes to help children and to ensure their voices are heard and responded to.
While here at the Courts we have been working on many initiatives to better respond to issues of family violence and to elevate the voices and experiences of children, there is much more to do.
Two key child-focused initiatives that we are currently working on include the development of a Children's Charter and the creation of a new kids' section on our website.
The Children's Charter will be released very soon and is an initiative of our Children's Committee. It reflects the commitment of our Courts, and the Family Court of Western Australia, to create a culture and environment where children are more consciously placed at the front and centre of decision-making, in a way that provides the opportunity for them to be heard and best promotes their safety and well-being. We look forward to announcing more on this initiative very soon.
A new section on the Courts' website is in the final stages of development and will provide age appropriate information for children and young people whose families are involved in family law proceedings. This project has been informed by consultation with children and young people, including through a NSW-based youth advisory group from the Supporting Children after Separation Program.
I implore all present here today to reflect on the film, and to consider how we can better support our children and break the cycle of family violence in our country.
Dr Chelsea Tobin, CEO of Safe Steps
Unanswered Calls is a wake-up call. Children and young people are falling through the cracks in a system designed for adult victim-survivors.
Young people are telling us that it's not clear where they can find services and support that's relevant to them, to help them escape family and domestic violence. That's why Safe Steps is calling for a dedicated, national response that young people can engage with directly and independently.
We applaud the Chief Justice and the Family Court for introducing these initiatives, because young people are the forgotten, invisible victims of family violence.
Commissioner Meena Singh, Acting Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People and Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, Victoria
Children and young people deserve to be heard on their experiences of family violence, and they deserve to have responses that centre their needs and wellbeing. 'Unanswered calls' shows we cannot continue to provide services to children and young people as an after-thought. To not do so means we are effectively telling children and young people that their experiences do not matter, which compounds the impact of trauma.
Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Expert in family violence, Monash University
For too long, our systems have treated children and young people who experience family violence as an extension of adult victim-survivors. When we fail to hear their voices and respond to their needs, we compound the harm. Urgent, child-centred action is needed to drive intergenerational change.
Juliana Warner, Law Council of Australia President
This documentary serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to eradicate family violence and keep children safe. The best interests, safety and wellbeing of children must be prioritised within our justice system. I commend the Court on the measures it is implementing to improve outcomes for children. The Law Council continues to advocate for increased resourcing for Independent Children's Lawyers (ICL). ICLs provide a voice and representation for children's best interests. It is vital to ensure that no child who requires this support misses out.
