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/