The first annual Committed to Safety Roundtable is being held today, confirming the Marshall Liberal Government’s unwavering commitment to ending the scourge of domestic, family and sexual violence.
The inaugural event is a chance for the government to update the sector and stakeholders about current and future policy reform, as well as hear feedback directly from frontline services.
Committed to Safety is the Liberal Government’s key policy framework for addressing violence against women. It focuses on three key areas – primary prevention, service and support and justice.
“Committed to Safety ensures that an annual roundtable will be held so that the government can continue to hear directly from front line services and community groups to help us as we work to streamline our responses to families experiencing violence,” said Minister Lensink.
“It is critical that we continue to seek feedback from the sector on the issue of domestic violence as we know a one-size-fits-all approach is not good enough.
“Since April 2018, the Liberal Government has held six roundtables with the community and the sector across Adelaide and the regions, which were invaluable in helping shape our ongoing policy and service reform.
“Every South Australian has a role to play in ending domestic, family and sexual violence and we will continue to do whatever we can to ensure women feel safe and supported and know where to turn to for help.”
Assistant Minister for Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Carolyn Power said ending all forms of violence was a Liberal Government priority.
“The statistics are truly shocking – in Australia, one in four women experience intimate partner violence, with one women killed by her partner or ex-partner almost every week,” said Mrs Power.
“South Australia is not immune to this problem and the Liberal Government is committed to working with the sector and community to address domestic, family and sexual violence.”
Ms Power said the Liberal Government had implemented a range of initiatives addressing violence against women.
New initiatives include:
• Rolled out the domestic violence disclosure scheme state-wide and extended the trial to the end of June 2020.
• Delivering our crisis accommodation commitment, announcing the locations of 40 new beds, which includes a trial of a new model for perpetrators.
• Delivered funding and access to a specialised personal protection app, to make women feel safer.
• Delivered funding to ensure our state DV crisis line can operate 24/7. • Established the first two safety hubs, designed to assist and support women and communities.
• Released Committed to Safety, a while of government framework designed to address domestic, family and sexual violence in SA.
• Rolled out the Ask Angela initiative, designed to assist women facing sexual harassment in licensed venues.
• Funded the South Australian Coalition of Women’s Domestic and Family Violence Services so that they are able to function as a fully supported peak body.
• Held a series of roundtables, with a focus on regional areas and their unique needs.
