News: Queensland Domestic and Family Violence Perpetrator Strategy Consultation

In September 2023, The Salvation Army provided a submission to the Queensland Government Department of Justice and Attorney-General’s consultation on the Domestic and Family Violence Perpetrator Strategy (the Strategy).

The Queensland Government is developing the Strategy to strengthen responses to persons using domestic and family violence, with a focus on early detection, intervention, accountability, and prevention. The Salvation Army's response is informed by previous work, and in consultation with our Family and Domestic Violence service specialists. We advocate for the development of a Strategy which prioritises the safety of victim-survivors whilst responding to persons using violence. The submission advocates for, alongside the development of the Strategy, increased government interventions, funding, and education in this regard.

The Salvation Army operates family and domestic violence services in almost all states and territories across Australia. This submission reflects the experiences of our clients, our frontline staff, and our experience of successful models of practice.

This submission is framed around the four proposed areas of focus in the Strategy- prevention, early intervention, response, and systemic reform-and includes 18 recommendations.

In our submission, The Salvation Army advocates for perpetrator responses that consider the needs of diverse communities, the need to focus on adolescent violence in the home in early intervention, increased capacity and capability of the family violence and wider service sectors, integrated service responses, and the importance of victim-survivors safety remaining paramount.

The submission also highlights the importance of local data collection and evaluation related to persons using violence, and the need to amplify the voices of those with a lived experience of domestic and family violence.