In May, Defence Families of Australia (DFA) observed Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Prevention month.
This is an annual event in May to raise community awareness of the personal, social, and societal impacts of domestic and family violence, and to highlight the support services available.
In our 40 years advocating for the Defence community, we have observed Defence family life brings with it a unique set of risk factors.
This may include:
• Existing policies which create unintentional imbalances between a current serving member and their civilian partner
• A disconnection from social, community, and support networks for the civilian partner due to frequent postings and relocations
• Interruptions to a civilian partner’s career, as well as financial disadvantages due to underemployment, unemployment, and loss of superannuation.
DFV is an important area of advocacy for DFA and links to many of our priorities. Some of our recent work around DFV includes successful advocacy around:
• Advocating for policy change that promotes fairness and shared decision-making between serving members and their families
• Contributing to Defence-related Family and Domestic Violence Working Groups to support stronger research, better understanding, and more effective responses
• Raising awareness of how DFV and intimate partner violence (IPV) affect Defence families because of the unique circumstances Defence life creates
• Defence policies being improved to provide both the ADF member and civilian partner a removal following a breakdown in relationship
• The Defence Family and Domestic Violence Strategy and Action Plan
• Recommending improvements to DHA Rental Reference Letter to enhance ability for ex-partners to secure private rental housing
• Defence staff (ADF and APS) to complete meaningful and appropriate DFV training.
DFA was a key contributor to the recent Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide proceedings on the topic of DFV.
Recommendation 102 in the Final Report suggests Government implement all 23 recommendations made by DFA in our Issues Paper on ADF families and DFV. Additionally, the recommendation urges Government to continue to work collaboratively with DFA on ongoing reforms to prevent DFV, and support families experiencing DFV.
We know the conversation around DFV is ongoing, and we are hopeful the recommendations in the Final Report will be strongly considered in future reforms and policy changes to prevent DFV and better support survivors of violence.
We are grateful to the families and members who trusted us with their stories and provided feedback on their experiences, as well as current and former senior Defence leaders who supported our work.
To the families and members who spoke out: thank you for your bravery and desire to make things better for our Defence community. Your lived experience directly informed this work, and we could not have done this without you.
DFA look forward to working together with Defence to inform and support the implementation of the Defence Strategy for Preventing and Responding to Family and Domestic Violence 2023–2028, as well continuing to advocate for positive policy change from additional actions arising from the Royal Commission’s Final Report.