Family & Domestic Violence

The Greens (WA) recognise that family and domestic violence is a significant cause of death, trauma, injury and distress in our community. Violence typically stems from a desire to exercise power and/or control over another, with statistics indicating that the vast majority of violence is perpetrated by men.

The impact of family and domestic violence on families and the broader community is significant in emotional, physical and economic terms. The Greens (WA) are committed to eliminating family and domestic violence.

Aims

The Greens (WA) want:

  • evidence-based primary (prevention), secondary (early intervention) and tertiary (rehabilitation) responses and support services
  • an end to community attitudes that tolerate family and domestic violence, abuse, and precursor behaviours
  • the social and economic determinants of gender inequality that contribute to and cause family and domestic violence addressed
  • a community where everyone can live free from harassment, fear, violence and abuse in families and intimate relationships     
  • improved awareness of family and domestic violence including information about available interventions and supports among all social groups, especially vulnerable groups
  • adequate evidence-based safety and support services for victims escaping family and domestic violence across the state, including rural and remote areas
  • early intervention measures that prevent instances of family and domestic violence
  • reasonable and appropriate judicial outcomes, behaviour change programs and other appropriate interventions for perpetrators of domestic violence (see also The Greens (WA) Justice policy)
  • legislation to prevent and address coercive control1
  • support for people who experience coercive control

Measures

The Greens (WA) will initiate and support legislation and actions that:

  • adequately fund evidence-based non-government and government services for victims, including refuges, legal, advocacy and counselling services and long-term housing that are gender, age, disability and culturally and language appropriate
  • ensure that these services are available to people living in regional, rural and remote areas of Western Australia (see also The Greens (WA) Regions policy)
  • provide appropriate resources to facilitate the presence of trained, rapid-response domestic violence specialists within WA Police, child protection and other relevant systems
  • adequately fund evidence-based behaviour change programs within the justice and support systems for perpetrators of domestic violence (see also The Greens (WA) Justice policy)
  • ensure appropriate judicial responses for offenders, particularly repeat offenders, including across jurisdictions
  • adequately fund and support programs that immediately remove perpetrators of family and domestic violence from the family home and/or allow victims and children to remain safely in the home
  • provide a realistic and robust framework for effective, coordinated interagency responses to family and domestic violence
  • ensure that those working in the criminal justice and family court system, particularly magistrates and judges, have adequate knowledge to identify situations of family and domestic violence and make decisions that focus on safety
  • actively consult with Western Australians with lived and/or other relevant experience of family and domestic violence, as well as review evidence-based research, in the design of interventions and programs to address family and domestic violence, including the training of staff and professionals
  • support an entitlement of family and domestic violence leave (see also The Greens (WA) Workplace Relations policy)
  • provide primary prevention and earl intervention programs that include, but are not limited to:
    • targeted, public education campaigns and programs that seek to address gender inequality, social determinants and other causes of family and domestic violence
    • education programs in primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions (see also The Greens (WA) Education policy)
    • appropriately resourced primary and secondary school contacts for children to seek support in dealing with situations of family and domestic violence
    • workplace resources to facilitate an understanding of family and domestic violence and its impact on employees, and appropriate workplace responses for victims and perpetrators
  • adequately fund support groups, counselling and psychological services for anyone affected by family and domestic violence, including children and extended family (see also The Greens (WA) Mental Health policy)
  • initiate education campaigns and programs aimed at preventing and addressing coercive control
  • amend the Restraining Order Act 1997 to include coercive control
  • include a definition of coercive control within the Criminal Code

Glossary

  1. Coercive control within family and domestic violence is a pattern of coercive behaviour enacted through assault, threats, humiliation, intimidation and other forms of abuse. It is used to exploit, control, isolate or degrade another person. This pattern of domination controls a person through social, cultural, medical and/or economic dependency. The affected person's everyday choices are manipulated by the abuser, and their ability to act and achieve their human potential is limited and controlled.

The Greens (WA) Family & Domestic Violence policy ratified in 2021