The Territory Labor Government has released a progress update on the Northern Territory’s Domestic Family and Sexual Violence Framework 2018-2028 – Safe, Respected and Free from Violence 2018-2028.

This framework underpins the Territory Governments investment to reduce the impact of domestic, family and sexual violence.

The report on the first of three action plans to implement the framework shows that more than 90 per cent of 78 actions are on track.

Significant achievements under the first action plan include:

• Developing and implementing the DFV Risk Assessment and Management Framework and free comprehensive training. To date, more than 250 workers have completed the training in Tennant Creek, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Alice Springs and Darwin.
• Employing specialist practitioners in each NT region to support child protection workers to bring a more DFV-informed approach to their practice. This is supported by Territory Families, Housing and Communities’ delivery of Safe and Together training and conducting an organisational assessment of the department.
• Developing the Gender Equality Statement of Commitment.
• Increasing the Safe, Respected and Free from Violence prevention grants pool from $300,000 to $1 million per year to invest in local projects.
• Investing $1.8 million across five years in the No More Campaign to raise awareness of DFV.

The Minister for Territory Families and Urban Housing has also announced that the Territory Government has gazetted eight new information sharing entities; which forms another part of Action Plan 1.

The information sharing entities aim to remove barriers between services so they can work together to:

• Keep improving safety for victims of DFV
• facilitate timely action from services, and referrals and collaboration between services and
• prevent victims having to tell their stories over and over.

To view Action Plan 1 and the  DFV Information Sharing Guidelines visit https://tfhc.nt.gov.au/ 

Quotes attributed to the Minister for Territory Families and Urban Housing, Kate Worden:

“Domestic, family and sexual violence affects the whole community. It is only through a united effort from governments, communities and individuals that we can reduce its impact and prevalence.

“We are implementing our ten year Domestic, Family and Sexual violence framework – however we know there is more to be done. The Action Plan 1 report clearly shows that we are making progress against the prevalence and the impact of violence against women and children in the Northern Territory.

“With the Gazetting of the eight information sharing entities we are making sure our women and children have people to turn to and advocate for them. We want to create a village for Territory women and children, where they feel supported, listened too and most importantly safe.

“It will also allow our NGOs to play a greater role in tackling domestic and family violence.”