The National Alliance for DFV Specialist Services (NADFVSS) has released a statement against costly Royal Commission when frontline DFV services remain underfunded.
We understand community calls for a Royal Commission into Family Violence, calls born from frustration and devastation that we continue to see intolerable harm and loss of life because of perpetration of domestic violence.
We are clear however, that we don’t need to nor can we afford to wait for another report.
Royal Commissions have an important role in the Australian system, including gathering compelling evidence when we have no other way to get to the root of a problem. That is not the situation here.
Victim-survivors of domestic and family violence and the specialist family violence sector have been calling for the changes needed for decades. Australia has already invested millions in inquiries and reports.
We need to get on with making the changes. Changes like adequately and sustainably funding chronically over-stretched specialist family violence services ensuring everyone who reaches out for a service can get a response.
We need immediate government action to ensure that every Australian can live safe from violence.
That means actual investment and meaningful resourcing to the work of prevention, early intervention, response, healing and recovery – not resourcing a Royal Commission.
The statement is available to download here: NADFVSS joint statement against Royal Commission.