A group of organisations dealing with victims are seeking broader policy responses to help make women and children safer, pushing for the protection of women and children to be a top priority for both the state and federal governments.
During an average week in Australia, one woman dies at the hands of her partner or former partner.
For Victorian woman Wendy Phillips, the ongoing impact of family violence is “an unimaginable nightmare”.
Ms Phillips’ sister Lynette was killed by a former partner in 2007, prompting her push for a broader approach to family violence.
“I don’t think a lot is being done,” she said.
“… It needs personal interaction and people that actually care and members of parliament that actually care and want something to be done. More members of parliament standing up and saying violence towards women and children and even men themselves is not ok.”
CEO of Domestic Violence Victoria Fiona McCormack said some categories of women are more at risk than others, including women with disabilities and women with limited English.
“They experience far greater rates of violence than other women because of the additional vulnerabilities that they have beyond gender,” she said.
“Could you imagine what it’s like being a woman with very limited English, not understanding the system, having to go to court, not being able to speak with anybody about what their options are, signing things that they don't necessarily understand, agreeing to things that they don't necessarily understand when they're terrified for their own lives.
“It's not good enough."
Domestic Violence Victoria and other groups have welcomed a recent commitment from the federal government to spend $100 million over four years to reduce violence against women and children.
But the groups also want action at a state level and have launched a campaign ahead of November’s state election, calling for policy changes.
They want both the state Coalition Government and Labor Opposition to both commit to initiatives like specialist family violence units at every court in Victoria, in addition to additional training for police and health service workers.
Victoria's Community Services Minister Mary Wooldridge said the government is already making changes, including a trial program co-ordinating justice and family violence services for high-risk women.
But the Labor opposition said the government hasn't done enough.
Spokeswoman on family violence Danielle Green has promised that Labor will hold a Royal Commission into family violence if elected in November.
"More of the same policy means more of the same tragedy,” she said.
“We need to actually look at all the systemic things as the sector has said, whether it's in our education system, whether it's in policing, whether it's in our justice system, our crisis response. And that's what Labor is committed to do.”
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