The Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse conducts significant national and regional research on interagency and collaborative practice, industrial relations, financial security, older women, accommodation issues and other issues. We accept commissions to conduct research and projects for government and non-government organisations and services.
The Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse is a project of the Centre for Gender-Related Violence Studies, based in the School of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University of New South Wales.
research studies | projects | literature reviews | evaluations
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DISASTERS
Investigators: Rochelle Braaf, Jan Breckenridge, Kerrie James, Gaby Marcus, Isobelle Barrett Meyering, Brigit Morris, Megan SetyDate:2011 - Ongoing
The ADFVC Clearinghouse and Centre for Gender-Related Violence Studies at the University of New South Wales are conducting two research projects on gender-based violence and disaster:
- Organisational response to domestic violence in disaster: a case study of one town's experience during Cyclone Yasi: This research project investigates responses of the service sector (domestic violence and social services, and emergency responders) in a single community of Townsville to women's experience of domestic violence in a disaster context, as well as the capacity of organisations to cope with the disaster itself. Specifically, interviews and focus groups with workers will concern issues arising for clients and services during and following Cyclone Yasi in 2011. The project aims to inform the inclusion of domestic violence in disaster planning by social and emergency services.
- Moving towards good practice; workers' experiences of responding to domestic violence during and post disasters: This study is collecting data via a national online surveyy. The survey focuses on practice issues experienced by front-line workers responding to clients affected by domestic violence, during and after a disaster. The survey questions centre on the kind of disasters have workers been exposed to, the level of preparedness of organisations to a disaster event, impacts of disasters on the capacity of workers and organisations to assist clients affected by domestic violence, and identifying program elements, relationships, skills and strategies that can help organisations and workers in this context. Research findings will be used to inform professional development and/or training and education.
National conference: Identifying the Hidden Disaster: The First Australian Conference on Natural Disasters and Family Violence, Melbourne, NSW, Australia, 9 March 2012
Paper: Sety M 2012, Domestic violence and natural disasters, Thematic Review 3, Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, Sydney
SEEKING SECURITY: WOMEN’S ECONOMIC WELLBEING DURING AND FOLLOWING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Commissioned by: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Investigators: Rochelle Braaf, Isobelle Barrett-Meyering, Emily Hamilton, Sarit Huppert, Rosa Campbell, Sarah MacGregor, Gaby Marcus, Jan Breckenridge
Date: 2009 – 2010
Research report: Braaf R & Barrett Meyering I 2011, Seeking security: promoting women's economic wellbeing following domestic violence, Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, Sydney
This research report highlights the ways in which violent relationships directly impact on women’s financial security and how, in turn, this impacts on women’s safety. The research considered what had supported women to become more financially secure and how services and organisations could improve their response to these issues.
Executive summary: Braaf R & Barrett Meyering I 2011, Seeking security: promoting women's economic wellbeing following domestic violence : executive summary, Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, Sydney
Resources, papers, presentations and media
OLDER WOMEN AND HOMELESSNESS
Assistance provided to: Older Women’s Network NSW
Investigator: Ludo McFerran
Date: 2009 - 2010
This project sought to investigate older women’s pathways into homelessness and their experience of violence in relationships. The joint project has highlighted the growing wave of older women facing retirement without housing security. Among other things, the research sought to inform policy developed by the Council for Homeless Persons Australia, one of the three councils of Homelessness Australia. The Council agreed to make older Australians and homelessness a policy priority for the next two years.
Report: McFerran L 2010, It could be you : female, single, older and homeless, Office for Women’s Policy, Department of Premier and Cabinet and the St Vincent de Paul Society, Sydney
Presentations:
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Older Women Ageing Safely in NSW Forum, organised by OWN NSW, Sydney, 29 April
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Women and Housing Workshop, organised by the Community Housing Federation of Victoria, Melbourne, 3 May
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International Federation on Ageing Conference, Melbourne, 4 May
PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST OLDER WOMEN
Assistance provided to: Older Women’s Network NSW
Investigator: Ludo McFerran
Date: 2008
The aims of this project were to investigate current understanding of violence against older women. The Project conducted a literature review; consulted with a broad range of key stakeholders in the aged care, health, housing, community legal and domestic and family violence sectors; and made a number of field trips to meet with older women, departmental staff and community services in three regional NSW centres. Following a NSW roundtable on violence against older women, a draft strategy document on the prevention of violence against older women was developed. The Report explores the challenge for the domestic and family violence sector in responding to increased reporting of violence against older women. It highlights an urgent need to improve the capacity of the domestic violence, aged care and homelessness service systems to provide flexible, collaborative and sensitive support designed for the needs of older women, should they remain in the family home, leave or become chronically homeless.
Research report: McFerran L 2009, The Disappearing Age, Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, Sydney
Conference: Ageing Safely Forum - Working across sectors to prevent violence & abuse of older people, Working across sectors to prevent violence & abuse of older people, The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre, Adelaide SA, 22-23 October 2009
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WORKPLACE RIGHTS AND ENTITLEMENTS PROJECT
Commissioned by: Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Project officers: Ludo McFerran, Robyn Dale, Gaby Marcus
Date: 2010 - 2012
This Project seeks to inform Australian unions and employers about domestic violence issues for employees and to promote the introduction of domestic violence provisions in enterprise agreements using the new Fair Work framework.
STAYING HOME LEAVING VIOLENCE - A MANUAL FOR PRACTITIONERS
Commissioned by: NSW Department of Community Services
Project officers: April Pham, Gaby Marcus, Jan Breckenridge
Date: 2010
This manual was developed to provide guidance to practitioners implementing the Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) program in eighteen local areas in NSW, funded by Community Services. SHLV promotes the option for victims of domestic and family violence to remain safely in the family home and have the abusive partner leave, either voluntarily or through an ouster or exclusion order. The manual aims to facilitate consistent practices across all eighteen programs. It is intended to be used as a prompter when engaging with clients in the SHLV program, in particular in conducting risk assessments and working with clients with specific needs, including children, Indigenous women, women of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, older women, women in rural and remote areas, and women with disabilities.
Report: Internal document provided for the NSW Department of Community Services
FAMILY LAW FRAMEWORKS DISCUSSION PAPER
Commissioned by: The Australian Institute of Social Relations (AISR), a division of Relationships Australia South Australia (RASA), as part of a national project funded by the Australian Attorney-General's Department.
Project officers: Karen Wilcox, Gaby Marcus, Jan Breckenridge, working with RASA researchers and writers
Date: 2010
This project involved preparation of a written discussion paper for a multi-disciplinary family violence training program, designed for professionals working within the family law system. The paper provided an overview of the legal framework and key issues for consideration, targeting the information needs of a diverse audience including: judicial officers; family dispute resolution practitioners; court staff; child contact centre workers; legal practitioners; counsellors; and family consultants. It provided a national overview of protection order law, family law (as it relates to family violence), service systems, child protection and key topics, such as victim compensation, perpetrator programs and specialist courts. The paper is one of six within the AVERT package developed by Relationships Australia (SA), that also includes: DVD resources; power points; factsheets; training exercises; formal assessment tools and course outlines.
The complete AVERT Family Violence Training Package was launched in Adelaide on 17 March 2011.
Training Package: All materials may be downloaded from this site: http://www.avertfamilyviolence.com.au/
THE IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON CHILDREN
Commissioned by: The Benevolent Society with funding from the Department of Family and
Community Services, Office For Women’s Policy
Investigators: Megan Sety, Gaby Marcus, Rochelle Braaf
Date: 2011
This literature review examined how children are affected by domestic violence including consideration of the family law evaluation reports. It includes practice recommendations for organisations, practitioners and researchers. The literature review will be used to inform the development of a training package for general practitioners in responding to the needs of children affected by domestic violence.
Report: Sety M 2011, The impact of domestic violence on children: a literature review, Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse and Benevolent Society, NSW, Sydney
DISABILITY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Commissioned by: People with Disability, NSW
Investigators: Emily Hamilton, Gaby Marcus, Jan Breckenridge, Rochelle Braaf
Date: 2010
This international literature review concerned the experience of domestic violence by women with disability in boarding houses. It examined domestic and family violence prevention and response strategies that have or might be used in this context. The literature review was used to inform a broader project investigating issues for women with disability residing in boarding houses in New South Wales.
Report: Price-Kelly S & Attard M 2010, Accommodating Violence: The experience of domestic violence and people with disability in licensed boarding houses, Disability and Domestic Violence in Residential Settings Project, People with Disability, NSW, Sydney
UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INTEGRATION IN THE NSW CONTEXT
Commissioned by: NSW Department of Community Services
Investigators: Jo Spangaro, Gaby Marcus, Rochelle Braaf
Date: 2010
NSW has a number of existing integrated services for domestic violence established under the Community Solutions program. These have each developed separately, employing diverse models and involving different constellations of agencies. This international review interrogated evaluations of integrated services and systems to inform the development of these projects. The review considered how the concept of integration could be best understood in terms of domestic violence service responses. It examined the evidence to support models for integrated services and systems for responding to domestic violence. It concluded by considering possible directions for integrated services and systems in the NSW context.
Report: Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse 2010, Understanding domestic violence and integration in the NSW context: a literature review for the NSW Department of Community Services, University of New South Wales, Sydney
REVIEW OF THE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY, NSW DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE SERVICES
Commissioned by: The Benevolent Society, NSW
Evaluators: Karen Wilcox, Gaby Marcus
Date: 2010 - 2011
In this review of services offered at the Benevolent Society against the evidence base, the Clearinghouse focussed in particular on the delivery of domestic violence services to women and their children, including diverse communities of women and older women. The evaluation will document the model for domestic violence service delivery and identify good practice models where possible. The project will make recommendations for further improvements for responsive practice.
Report: Final report produced for in house use only.
