Making the call Brochure
The police, the law, your rights, and what to expect if you are experiencing family violence
News item - The Mercury: Tasmania's horror week prompts urgent calls to act on violence against women
By Amber Wilson
Published by The Mercury, 23/05/26
“This is not how it was supposed to end.” In the wake of a horror week for female safety in Tasmania, advocates are calling for stronger action to prevent violence against women
News item - The Mercury: Plan to help GPs spot family violence signs
By Bridget Clarke
Published by The Mercury 09/05/26
A Tasmanian pilot program helping GPs better support patients experiencing family and sexual violence has recorded strong statewide uptake, with about 80 clinics taking part in its first year.
Newsletter - Engender's collective impact across prevention, response and recovery - Engender Equality Update - May 2026
The May edition of Engender News highlights:
- 2026 Candlelight vigils
- Upcoming training, professional development and therapeutic groups
- Older Voices for Change
- Current job vacancies
Media Release - Primary care is a critical frontline prevention and intervention system - International Day Against Homophobia, Trans & Biphobia
MEDIA RELEASE
15 May 2026
PRIMARY CARE IS A CRITICAL FRONTLINE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION SYSTEM – INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA, TRANS & BIPHOBIA
On this International Day against Homophobia, Trans & Biphobia on 17 May, Engender Equality is encouraging LGBTIQA+ people to see their doctor as more than just a clinician, but rather a resource for intervention and support in intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence.
Engender Equality CEO, Alina Thomas said,
“The prevalence of violence among LGBTIQA+ people is significant with Australia’s largest survey of the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ adults (1) showing 61% of this cohort have experienced violence from an intimate partner.
“For LGBTIQA+ people, disclosing violence and abuse is compounded by stigma, discrimination, minority stress, and systemic barriers to people seeking help.
“For this reason, Engender Equality has produced guidelines for front line workers which aims to reduce barriers created by discrimination and heteronormative assumptions” Ms Thomas said.
Sadly, the fear of a lack of skills and understanding among service providers means many LGBTIQA+ people choose not to access services at all. There is fear of discrimination by law enforcement and support services, and insufficient strategies protecting LGBTIQA+ individuals from violence and discrimination, making it difficult for survivors to find legal recourse and other supports.
Kathryn Fordyce, CEO Laurel House said,
“Research shows the rate of child sexual abuse is reported at disproportionately high rates among gender and sexuality diverse Australians (2).”
“Compared with one in five heterosexual Australians, more than half of sexuality diverse Australians reported experiencing child sexual abuse (3).
“Further to this, more than half of gender diverse Australians reported child sexual abuse, compared with 37.3% of women and 18.8% of men.
“Private Lives 3 research confirms the disproportionately high rates of sexual violence experienced by LGBTIQA+ people, with nearly 50% of respondents having been coerced or forced into unwanted sexual acts.
“In the most recent incidents reported, the perpetrator was most commonly a cisgender man.
“For many LGBTIQA+ people, experiences of sexual violence, child sexual abuse and intimate partner violence are not isolated from broader experiences of stigma, discrimination and barriers to help-seeking.
“This reinforces why safe, affirming and informed primary care matters and involves asking safely, listening without assumptions, and connecting people to specialist support,” Ms Fordyce said.
Ends.
(1) Hill, A. O., Bourne, A., McNair, R., Carman, M., & Lyons, A. (2020). Private Lives 3: The health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ people in Australia. Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University.
https://www.latrobe.edu.au/arcshs/documents/arcshs-research-publications/Private-Lives-3.pdf
(2) Higgins, D. J., Lawrence, D., Haslam, D. M., Mathews, B., Malacova, E., Erskine, H. E., Finkelhor, D., Pacella, R., Meinck, F., Thomas, H. J., & Scott, J. G. (2025). Prevalence of Diverse Genders and Sexualities in Australia and Associations With Five Forms of Child Maltreatment and Multi-type Maltreatment. Child Maltreatment, 30(1), 21–41. https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595231226331
(3) National Office for Child Safety. How many people have experienced child sexual abuse?
https://www.childsafety.gov.au/about-child-sexual-abuse/how-many-people-have-experienced-child-sexual-abuse
Media Contact: Alina Thomas 0438 788 291
Additional Information
Download a copy of the LGBTIQA+ Family Violence Practice Guidelines.
The Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence Support Program is funded by Primary Health Tasmania (Tasmania PHN), through the Australian Government’s Primary Health Networks Program. Engender Equality is a not-for-profit agency leading the program in partnership with Laurel House.
More information including how General Practices and Aboriginal Health Services can connect with the service is available at 03 6268 1663, admin@pcfsv.org.au or https://engenderequality.org.au/pcfsv/.
If you would like to engage a lived experience representative (case study), please see Advocates for Change – Engender Equality, email advocates@engenderequality.org.au or phone: 0415 740 524.
Speech - Candlelight Vigil, Hobart, 6 May 2026
Nick Kastner spoke at the Candlelight Vigil held in Hobart on Wednesday 6th May 2026.
Media Release - Nurses see the signs of intimate partner violence and sexual assault - International Nurses Day
MEDIA RELEASE
7 May 2026
NURSES SEE THE SIGNS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT – INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY
During International Nurses Day on 12 May, Engender Equality acknowledges the role nurses play in breaking the cycle of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and sexual assault.
Engender Equality CEO, Alina Thomas said,
“Nurses and midwives are often among the first professionals to recognise signs of family and sexual violence and child sex abuse.
“They have unique opportunities for private conversations with patients while tests are underway and the opportunity to build trusted relationships.
“Patients experiencing family and sexual violence may present with physical injuries, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, pregnancy complications, or behavioural changes.
“In many cases, individuals may not disclose violence directly, making early identification more complex. A supportive response from a nurse or midwife can make a meaningful difference.
“Even brief interactions can help individuals feel heard, validated, and more confident in seeking further support.
General practitioners and nurses have mandatory reporting obligations under Tasmanian law through the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1997 and the Family Violence Act 2004. Fulfilling those obligations is both a legal requirement and a professional responsibility designed to protect children and vulnerable people.
Jess Drew, Manager, Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence Support Program said,
“Our work with general practitioners, nurses, practice managers and reception staff in clinics throughout Tasmania over the past year means they are well placed to respond if their patient chooses to disclose family and sexual violence and child sexual abuse.
“We’ve been working with clinics on our SAVADA framework which encourages them to: Spot the signs; Ask appropriate questions; Validate and believe; Assess risk and safety; Document; and take Action to refer the patients further.
“All general practices and Aboriginal Health Services throughout the State also have a dedicated family and sexual violence support specialist available to provide advice should any patient choose to disclose.
We encourage anyone experiencing family or sexual violence to reach out to their doctor and disclose their situation to whomever they feel most comfortable speaking with, so they can receive help.
Ends.
Media Contact: Alina Thomas 0438 788 291
Additional Information
This Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence Support Program is funded by Primary Health Tasmania (Tasmania PHN), through the Australian Government’s Primary Health Networks Program. Engender Equality is a not-for-profit agency leading the program in partnership with Laurel House.
More information including how General Practices and Aboriginal Health Services can connect with the service is available at 03 6268 1663, admin@pcfsv.org.au or https://engenderequality.org.au/pcfsv/.
Media Release - General practice provides safe haven for those experiencing family violence - National Domestic Violence Remembrance Day - 6 May 2026
MEDIA RELEASE
5 May 2026
GENERAL PRACTICE PROVIDES SAFE HAVEN FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING FAMILY VIOLENCE – NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REMEMBRANCE DAY – 6 MAY 2026
During National Domestic Violence Remembrance Day on 6 May, Engender Equality urges women to seek help from their doctor if they or their children are faced with family and sexual violence and child sex abuse.
Engender Equality CEO, Alina Thomas said,
“General practices are well placed to identify and take early steps which support patients breaking the cycle of violence.
“Our Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence (PCFSV) Support Program, in partnership with Laurel House, has rolled out to every general practice in the State in the past twelve months.
“Through it we have offered capacity building and support to doctors, practice managers, reception and nursing staff to assist them in identifying and responding to family and sexual violence.
“We recognise disclosure is a difficult thing for many victim-survivors, however, general practices now have everything, including dedicated support specialists, at their fingertips to support victim-survivors should they choose to disclose,” Ms Thomas said.
On average, at least 28.1% of women who enter a Tasmanian General Practice every day, will be victim-survivors of family and sexual violence, and at least 28.5% of all people will be victim-survivors of child sexual abuse(1). Every week, on average, at least five patients attending their doctor will be experiencing family and sexual violence, and/or child sexual abuse.
Jess Drew, Manager, Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence Support Program said,
“Over 1 in 5 women make their first disclosure of family violence to their doctor making the general practice setting important for domestic violence interventions (2).
“There is a significant difference in disclosure rate between women who were asked about abuse by a GP (75.3%) and those who had not (26.8%), and our work with general practice is to help clinic staff frame the appropriate line of questioning.
“Women who had been asked about violence by their doctor were twice as likely to disclose.
“We’re very pleased with the growing level of engagement among general practice doctors, practice managers, reception and nursing staff who care deeply for their patients.
“We are equally pleased with the engagement with Aboriginal Health Services throughout the State which required a more relational, culturally informed approach to this serious issue facing Aboriginal women and children,” Ms Drew said.
(1) Australian Child Maltreatment Study, 2023
(2) Hegarty, K. L., & Taft, A. J. (2001). Overcoming the barriers to disclosure and inquiry of partner abuse for women attending general practice. Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 25(5), 433-437.
Ends.
Media Contact: Alina Thomas 0438 788 291
Additional Information
This Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence Support Program is funded by Primary Health Tasmania (Tasmania PHN), through the Australian Government’s Primary Health Networks Program. Engender Equality is a not-for-profit agency leading the program in partnership with Laurel House.
More information including how General Practices and Aboriginal Health Services can connect with the service is available at 03 6268 1663, admin@pcfsv.org.au or https://engenderequality.org.au/pcfsv/
Media Release - National Candlelight Vigil shines light for family violence victims
MEDIA RELEASE
5 May 2026
NATIONAL CANDLELIGHT VIGIL SHINES LIGHT FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE VICTIMS
Each year on the first Wednesday of May communities from all over Australia gather for a candlelight vigil in
remembrance and honour of those who have lost their lives to family violence. This meaningful event, marking the beginning of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, brings together victim-survivors, family violence workers, family violence reform advocates and community members not only in a moment of reflection, but to shine a light on the devastating impact family violence has on individuals, families and the wider community.
In Tasmania, the Domestic Violence Coordinating Committees, incorporating representatives from government and non-government family violence organisations in Tasmania, have organised candlelight vigils will be held simultaneously with others around the country on Wednesday 6 May 2026 at Parliament House Lawns in Hobart at 5.30pm, the Wharf Precinct, Gnomon Pavilion in Ulverstone at 6.00pm, and the Civic Square in Launceston at 5.30pm.
In 2025, as we faced an average of more than one woman being killed by an intimate partner per week in Australia, the candlelight vigil remembers those who have lost their lives to family violence. The event also allows attendees to honour the courage of those victim-survivors who continue to experience violence within their homes and families. The candlelight vigil provides a meaningful opportunity for the community to gather in solidarity to provide their support to victim survivors of family violence, while also raising awareness of the issue and promoting the support options available to them.
Engender Equality CEO Alina Thomas says “It is wonderful to have people show their support and solidarity with victim-survivors and their families. The impact of violence and abuse is felt in families, in workplaces and in all communities across Tasmania.”
This year’s vigils will feature speakers who have been personally impacted by the horror of Family Violence and are involved in Engender Equality’s Advocates for Change program.
“Over recent years we have seen the vigil growing in size as our awareness and intolerance of violence against
women increases. This is a social issue that is not going away and we are seeing more and more community
members come out to say that women have the right to live in safe communities”, states Ms Thomas.
It is hoped that the National Candlelight Vigil to remember and honour those who have lost their lives to family violence will allow Tasmanians to stand together in solidarity to communicate that not only we will never forget these victims, but we as a community will also not tolerate family violence.
If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence or abuse, help is available. Please contact the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service on 1800 608 122.
Engender Equality CEO Alina Thomas will be available to speak to the media prior to, or at the conclusion of the candlelight vigil, and in the day/days prior by arrangement.
For all media enquiries please contact:-
Alina Thomas
CEO, Engender Equality
Ph: 0438 788 291
ceo@engenderequality.org.au
News item - 7HOFM Local News: Tasmanian candlelight vigils for family violence victims
By Ebony Abblitt
Published by 7HOFM Local News, 06/05/26 9:25am
Candlelight vigils will be held at Hobart’s Parliament Lawns, the Gnomon Pavilion in Ulverstone, and Launceston’s Civic Square this evening as part of national action to support those impacted by family and domestic violence.