White Ribbon Australia and Communicare Submission: House Standing Committee Inquiry into Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence

Abstract

This submission by White Ribbon Australia and Communicare provides evidence and recommendations to the House Standing Committee Inquiry into Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence. It highlights the importance of long-term investment in prevention strategies, including mandated Respectful Relationships education across all Australian schools and a 10-year strategy focusing on children and young people who have experienced family and domestic violence. The submission addresses the need for workplace protections, such as 10 days of paid family violence leave, to support employees affected by domestic violence and advance gender equality. It also examines the efficacy of perpetrator intervention programs, such as Communicare’s Breathing Space, which provides a therapeutic residential program for male perpetrators. The submission calls for increased collaboration across sectors to improve data collection and tracking, expand program accessibility, and ensure adequate resourcing for long-term behavioural change interventions.