We are pleased to announce that Expert Advisory Committee on Perpetrator Interventions (EACPI) Final Report has been released and can be found here.
NTV was an active member on this committee, providing expert advice on shifting the focus of responsibility in family violence away from victim survivors to men who use family violence.
The committee explored men’s role in taking responsibility for their use of violence and where and how men who use violence receive reinforcing messages from the service system and broader community.
The report makes 22 recommendations focused on strengthening existing perpetrator interventions, supporting emerging interventions, connecting with support services for other needs, identifying key areas for further work and research, and strengthening the foundations of the perpetrator intervention system. It also highlights that the service system and community must work together to hold perpetrators to account and keep them in view.
Recommendations include:
- Trials in community and justice settings for people who use violence from diverse communities and with complex needs have commenced and are being evaluated. This includes trial interventions working with Aboriginal communities, diverse communities, people with cognitive impairment, and women, transgender, intersex and gender diverse people.
- The EACPI Principles for Perpetrator Interventions have been embedded in the men’s behaviour change program minimum standards and case management guidelines to strengthen practice.
- The Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM) tool and practice guidance for perpetrators is under development and will provide workforces across a range of specialisations with the tools to work safely with perpetrators of family violence to maintain engagement and support change.
- Victoria Police have rolled out 31 Family Violence Investigation Units across the state to work with high risk family violence cases, and improve the safety of victim survivors through police responses. This is supported with tools to help identify risk and prioritise interventions.
- There are five specialist family violence courts opening throughout 2019/20 which prioritise safety support and service. They include specialist Magistrates, larger multi-disciplinary teams of operational staff, practitioners, partner agencies and other court-based services to deliver a coordinated response.
- FSV’s Centre for Workforce Excellence is finalising Strengthening the Foundations: First Rolling Action Plan to the family violence 10 Year Industry Plan. This will include initiatives to build the supply, knowledge and skills of the workforces that have a role in working with victims and perpetrators of family violence, including children. Initiatives will include accredited training courses for these workforces, and an attraction campaign and health and wellbeing framework.
- The Perpetrator Accountability Steering Committee, a dedicated inter-departmental governance committee, has been established to help strengthen the focus of perpetrator accountability across our reform work.
NTV looks forward to working with FSV and other sector partners in implementing the 22 recommendations.
