This submission is in relation to the Family Violence (Miscellaneous Reforms) Bill 2025. It has been developed utilising the practice wisdom and lived expertise of Engender Equality staff and the victim-survivors we support.
The proposed amendments to the Tasmanian Family Violence Act 2004 present an opportunity to strengthen the understanding of family violence across the justice response. While increasing protections for victim-survivors, the Act must ensure that responses to family violence are accurate, trauma-informed, and victim-centred. This is necessary in order to eliminate further experiences of victim-survivors being blamed and disbelieved for the violence they have endured.