Type:	Conference Paper
Title:	The option of staying at home
Other Titles:	Home Truths conference, 15 - 17 September 2004, Sheraton Towers, Southgate[cut]
Authors:	Kearney, Vanessa
Keywords:	Leaving/Staying;Housing;Protection orders;Risk assessment
Year:	2004
Publisher:	CASA House, The Royal Women's Hospital
Notes:	General Overview: In Victoria a domestic violence protection order can have an “exclusion order” provision (sometimes termed an ouster order), allowing victims to remain in the family home and have the violent offender leave. The paper discusses assumptions underpinning the work of the Eastern Domestic Violence Outreach Service (EDVOS) in Melbourne around exclusion orders, the support this service offers to women, issues arising for women seeking exclusion orders and data collected by the service with regard to these women. The paper is by an EDVOS worker. Objective: The paper seeks to provide information to the sector about the option of exclusion orders for women experiencing domestic violence, the issues to be considered around making that choice and the role of EDVOS in supporting women in taking up this option. EDVOS has reflected on its provision of support and advice to women victims and whether the service has provided them with a full range of options. The paper outlines the process EDVOS uses in working with women who are considering taking up exclusion orders, including undertaking risk assessment, considering the implications, safety planning and providing ongoing domestic violence support. In 2003 EDVOS supported 58 women to apply for an exclusion order. The paper provides data on who applied, whether the interim order was granted, the outcome at court and whether the application was contested. The data showed that exclusion orders are being granted, roughly half were contested and around a third of women reported breaches of the order. The paper discusses barriers to taking up exclusion orders, including women’s uncertainty around making an application and their confusion or conflicting messages from workers and solicitors. The paper also notes that there are few applications based on emotional, rather than physical, abuse. In a discussion about support, the paper recognises that women often do not contact a domestic violence service until there is a crisis. EDVOS has adopted a model of early intervention and assertive outreach, with workers attending the local Magistrate’s court and working with police to reach women they would not normally access. The paper concludes that it is possible for women to stay safely at home and have the violent offender leave. Therefore, it is the responsibility of services and other workers and professionals to ensure that women have the information and support to make the best decision for them.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/20857
Physical description:	6 p. p.
Appears in Collections:	Conference Papers

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