Wednesday, 14 May 2025

Statements on parliamentary committee reports

Legal and Social Issues Committee

Building the Evidence Base: Inquiry into Capturing Data on People Who Use Family Violence in Victoria

Eden FOSTER (Mulgrave) (10:07): I rise to speak on the Legal and Social Issues Committee’s final report on the inquiry into capturing data on family violence perpetrators in Victoria, and I wish to draw your attention to the findings and recommendations of the report in relation to the impact of family violence on some of our most vulnerable communities, our young people. This report is a stark reminder that family violence does not discriminate. It permeates every layer of our society, leaving a trail of devastation that demands our unwavering attention and action. While the report offers a comprehensive overview of the challenges we face in capturing data on perpetrators, it also highlights the unique and complex ways in which family violence manifests.

The report paints a disturbing picture of the intersection between youth and family violence. It reveals that young people are not only victims but, sadly, can also be perpetrators – a reality that requires a sensitive and age-appropriate response. The report acknowledges that adolescence and young adulthood are critical periods in which patterns of violence can emerge, shaping future relationships and perpetuating cycles of abuse. As a clinical psychologist who has worked with young people, I have witnessed firsthand how these early experiences can derail a young person’s development, leading to long-term difficulties with poor emotion regulation, conflict resolution difficulties and unhealthy attachments. The report highlights the urgent need for age-appropriate services and programs that address the root cause of violence and promote healthy relationships among young people.

Early intervention is paramount, and we must provide young people with the tools and support they need to develop empathy, build healthy relationships and break the cycle of violence before it becomes entrenched. The report also identifies gaps in data collection regarding family violence involving young people, including intimate partner violence among adolescents and violence perpetrated by young people towards their parents and siblings. To address these issues the report recommends a number of things, including improving data collection methodologies to accurately capture the prevalence and nature of family violence within youth populations. We know that accurate data is essential for understanding the scope of the problem and informing effective interventions. It also recommends developing targeted prevention programs in schools and community settings to educate young people about respectful relationships, conflict resolution, and the consequences of violent behaviour.

In my experience, school-based programs like Respectful Relationships are highly effective in promoting positive social and emotional development and preventing violence.

Another recommendation is to ensure that young people have access to specialist support services tailored to their unique developmental needs and experiences. Young people require services that are not only age appropriate but also trauma informed, recognising the detrimental impact that family violence can have on their mental health and wellbeing. Schools are a perfect place for this support, and I commend the government for their support with mental health practitioners in schools.

Finally, the report recommends enhancing collaboration between agencies such as schools, youth services and law enforcement to facilitate a coordinated and effective response to family violence involving young people. A multidisciplinary approach is essential to ensure that young people receive the comprehensive support they need. The multi-agency risk assessment and management, MARAM, framework is a crucial structure for identifying, assessing and managing family violence risk and is underpinned by collaboration and information sharing between agencies such as schools. Having worked in schools, I am very familiar with the MARAM framework and have trained teaching staff on its components. It is essential that training in this framework remains ongoing and is consistently recognised as a vital tool to ensure that individuals at risk of family violence do not fall through the cracks. To strengthen the implementation of MARAM, the report recommends continuing to develop and promote training resources and tools for service providers and enhancing their understanding of MARAM responsibilities, including the collection of data on people using family violence. As the saying goes, you do not know what you do not know. Sharing information to protect our most vulnerable from family violence can truly be life changing, and in many situations it can be life saving.

In closing, I would like to thank the committee members for their hard work on this inquiry and in particular the work of the committee chair, the member for Lara. Thank you for such an important inquiry and putting this valued and detailed report together.