A Monash University review of a new Victorian family violence information sharing scheme has found the strategy is helping address some key knowledge gaps in victim response and perpetrator awareness.
Tabled in the Legislative Council in the Parliament of Victoria today, the independent report also identified areas of improvement for the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) ahead of its further rollout next year.
Monash's Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre was tasked with independently reviewing the Scheme and determining its achievements to-date.
The Centre made 22 recommendations to improve FVISS, with addressing victims' privacy concerns and the concerns of Aboriginal mothers in fear of losing their children as a result of disclosing family violence amongst the most crucial.
The FVISS was established under Part 5A of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 as part of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (State of Victoria 2016) reforms.
The Commission found information wasn't being shared effectively between organisations with the potential for catastrophic consequences for victims of family violence.
The Scheme commenced in February 2018 and aims to better identify, assess and manage the risks to adult and child victim / survivor safety, prevent and reduce the risk of harm, better keep perpetrators in view and enhance perpetrator accountability.
It was initially rolled out to organisations in 2018, with the second phase to commence in the first half of 2021.
There are approximately 38,000 workers operating under the Scheme, with 370,000 more to join next year.
In order to effectively assess the FVISS, Monash researchers undertook empirical research, document review, training observation, surveys, focus groups and interviews.
The views and experiences of more than 1,000 stakeholders - including family violence practitioners, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, police and justice experts and 26 women who had experienced family violence - were included in the review.
