The South Australian Government has released the report of the state’s historic Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, and set out a framework for responding to the report’s recommendations.
Royal Commissioner, Natasha Stott Despoja AO, has published the 700-page document With Courage: South Australia’s vision beyond violence and the accompanying Voices report.
The reports are the culmination of a 12-month Royal Commission, including extensive engagement with South Australians impacted by domestic, family and sexual violence.
The main report includes 136 recommendations reflecting the Commission’s comprehensive public consultation, listening sessions, public hearings and submissions.
The 112-page Voices report includes direct quotes from hundreds of people with lived and living experiences, as well as family members and other supporters.
“I want to thank Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja AO and her staff for their considerable work,” said Premier, Peter Malinauskas.
“But especially thank the brave South Australians who came forward to tell their stories.
“The report makes for harrowing reading. But it is also a document filled with hope.
“It sets out a pathway to improve the way we respond to this scourge, and to prevent it from happening in the first place,” he said.
The report has been structured around key themes including:
- Structural reform focused on creating a cohesive and effective system;
- Increasing the awareness and visibility of domestic, family and sexual violence by investing in workforce, education and the justice system, as well as increasing community awareness;
- Supporting safe help-seeking and access to crisis response;
- Strengthening focus on people who use violence through programs and legislative reform;
- Building holistic supports for survivors that focus on longer-term recovery and healing; and
- Establishing a strong foundation for prevention.
The Royal Commission benefited from the experience of the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence, cautioning against reactive implementation in favour of a considered and resourced implementation plan.
To ensure the broad suite of recommendations can be properly considered and addressed, the State Government has immediately accepted the following recommendations to be pursued within recommended timeframes:
- 1: The establishment of a standalone ministerial portfolio for domestic, family and sexual violence;
- 2: The establishment of a Government Steward;
- 4: The Senior Leadership Committee (of South Australian Government Chief Executives) develop an implementation plan for consideration by Cabinet;
- 9: Requiring performance agreements for Chief Executives to include achievement of the actions and impact identified in the Implementation Plan;
- 10: Develop a five year statewide domestic, family and sexual violence strategy;
- 11 & 12: Establish separate Lived Experience Advisory Networks for adults and children, with a smaller group providing advice and expertise to the Minister.
The South Australia Government established the Royal Commission after the horrific murder of four women in South Australia in one week in November 2023.
The Royal Commission adds to the considerable suite of reforms already in train by the Malinauskas Labor Government, including legislating to criminalise coercive control, establishing two new domestic violence prevention and recovery hubs, ring-fencing a proportion of public housing for women escaping violence, and legislating to require high-risk domestic violence defendants to be electronically monitored on home detention bail.
To read the Royal Commission report visit royalcommissiondfsv.sa.gov.au.
