Submission

Given Engender Equality’s specialisation in working with women and families who have experienced family violence, this submission is primarily focused on their specific experiences. People who have experienced abuse are often significantly disempowered, and may not be able to identify the impact of bullying behaviour as it generally occurs alongside other forms of domestic abuse. Furthermore, for family violence victims who are required to engage in court processes, intimate partner bullying may be difficult to distinguish from an otherwise formal, authorative and alienating process.

Engender Equality commends the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to reducing levels of family violence. It is promising to see the issue of family violence and abuse as a priority and that action is being taken to strengthen family violence laws. As a specialist service, we support people who have experienced family violence and are intimately aware of the adverse effects and long-term suffering that can result from family violence. We are deeply concerned with prevention of further family violence for both individuals and our community as a whole.

Given Engender Equality’s specialisation in working with women and families who have experienced family violence, this submission is primarily focused on their specific experiences. People who have experienced abuse are often significantly disempowered, and may not be able to engage in the kind of community participation that is necessary to ensure that their voices are heard and their concerns addressed. The Inquiry’s call for submissions is an excellent opportunity for organisations to advocate on their behalf. Therefore, we believe it is our role to address the specific issues that are faced by women and children who are disproportionately disadvantaged because of current and historical family violence and gender inequality.

Reproductive coercion is one of many tactics that may be used by a perpetrator of intimate partner violence to maintain control over the victim.

SHE recommends community education to raise awareness of reproductive coercion and of services available to help people who are experiencing such coercion, as well as the development and promotion of professional training and resources to help improve the ability of doctors, social workers and other professionals to assess and support women and girls who have experienced reproductive coercion.

SHE commends the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to addressing the issues affecting women
and girls in Tasmania. We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the development of the
Women’s Strategy to address the inequality experienced by women and girls in Tasmania.

In the context of this submission, we note that our clients frequently seek SHE services to support them through the legal process; assistance that is in addition to addressing the experienced violence and abuse itself. It is also our experience that the legal response can fail to adequately address the severity of the violence, the impact on children and the ongoing effects of trauma. Our clients often express their inability to create a sense of safe environment in which to live and recover from the effects of a perpetrator’s coercion, control and violence.

The experience of family violence in childhood can have profound negative impacts that resonate across the lifespan and even intergenerational impacts (Courtois, Ford, & Cloitre, M, 2009).

The vast majority of family violence is committed by men against women (ABS, 2012). Children are very often present during family violence incidents (ABS, 2012). Family violence is recognised as a form of child abuse according to the Children Young Persons and their Families Act 1997:

“Children are exposed to family violence if they: see or hear an incident of family violence; help to clean up after an incident of family violence; or comfort or assist a family member after an incident of family violence”

Submission to the Department of Justice – Office of Strategic Legislation and Policy – Review of the Domestic Violence Orders (National Recognition) Bill 2016

Submission to the Sentencing Advisory Council – Mandatory Treatment for Sex Offenders – Research Paper Draft

Submission to the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute – review of the Law Relating to Self Defence 2015