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Slide 2 Slide 3 Womens Safety Strategy 2005 2010 Launched 2005 A Right to Safety 2011 2022 The next phase of South Australias Womens Safety Strategy Released 2 December 2011 Key Directions Prevention, Service Provision, Protection, Performance Supports the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children Womens Safety Strategy 2005 2010 Achievements Report Available at www.officeforwomen.sa.gov.auwww.officeforwomen.sa.gov.au Slide 4 Governance Slide 5 Over 24 specific initiatives since launch in 2005 Initiatives aimed at system improvement, law reform and primary prevention Aims Ensure consistent responses across the State Build a state that sees VAW as everyones business Prevent violence against women before it occurs Slide 6 2006 Family Safety Framework 2009 Domestic and Aboriginal Family Violence Sector 2010 Intervention Orders Integrated Response Model 2011 Senior Research Officer (Domestic Violence) in the Coroners Office 2008 Criminal Law Consolidation (Rape and Sexual Offences) Amendment Bill passed 2008 Statutes Amendment (Evidence & Procedure) Bill passed 2011 Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) 2009 Act enacted 2012 Violence against Women Collaborations 2009 Dont Cross the Line Campaign and Community Education Grants 2010 Prevention activities across specific sectors education, hospitality industry 2006 The Sex Offender Register Bill 2007 New offence of drink or food spiking 2007 Establishment of a Commissioner for Victims Rights 2012 Development of recognise and respond guidelines for mainstream agencies 2013 Improving integration with 1800 RESPECT 2012 Improving access to sexual assault services 2005 Family Court Support Program2005 New Domestic Violence Policing Model 2012 Domestic Violence and the workplace 2012 Expansion of the Information Sharing Guidelines 2011 Target to Reduce Violence Against Women included in South Australias Strategic Plan 2006 Family Safety Framework 2009 Domestic and Aboriginal Family Violence Sector 2010 Intervention Orders Integrated Response Model 2011 Senior Research Officer (Domestic Violence) in the Coroners Office 2008 Criminal Law Consolidation (Rape and Sexual Offences) Amendment Bill passed 2008 Statutes Amendment (Evidence & Procedure) Bill passed 2012 Violence against Women Collaborations 2010 Prevention activities across specific sectors education, hospitality industry 2005 Family Court Support Program2005 New Domestic Violence Policing Model 2012 Expansion of the Information Sharing Guidelines 2011 Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) 2009 Act enacted 2009 Dont Cross the Line Campaign and Community Education Grants 2006 The Sex Offender Register Bill 2012 Development of recognise and respond guidelines for mainstream agencies 2013 Improving integration with 1800 RESPECT 2012 Improving access to sexual assault services 2012 Domestic Violence and the workplace 2011 Target to Reduce Violence Against Women included in South Australias Strategic Plan 2009 Domestic and Aboriginal Family Violence Sector 2010 Intervention Orders Integrated Response Model 2011 Senior Research Officer (Domestic Violence) in the Coroners Office 2008 Criminal Law Consolidation (Rape and Sexual Offences) Amendment Bill passed 2008 Statutes Amendment (Evidence & Procedure) Bill passed 2012 Violence against Women Collaborations 2010 Prevention activities across specific sectors education, hospitality industry 2005 Family Court Support Program2005 New Domestic Violence Policing Model 2012 Expansion of the Information Sharing Guidelines Slide 7 Clearer definition of sexual offences Clearer definition of consent Amended judicial warnings in relation to childrens evidence Provided special arrangements for vulnerable witnesss New terminology abuse, protected persons, defendants Definition of abuse expanded Definition of relationships expanded 2008 Criminal Law Consolidation (Rape and Sexual Offences) Amendment Bill passed 2008 Statutes Amendment (Evidence & Procedure) Bill passed 2011 Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) 2009 Act enacted Slide 8 Aims to enhance the safety of victims - women and children at high risk; increase perpetrator accountability and reduce repeat victimisation Involves a range of government and non government agencies, some are location specific Has 3 elements - Family Safety Meeting, Common Risk Assessment and Information Sharing Family Safety Meeting Local meeting of relevant services Jointly construct and implement a multi agency positive action plan Increases agency accountability and transparency Enables relationship building and partnerships across agencies Improves support for staff involved in high risk family violence cases Held fortnightly Common Risk Assessment Process relies on common understandings of risk among agencies Research indicates commonalities of risk in relation to domestic homicide such as nature of abuse, patterns of behaviour, victims perception of risk Importance of incorporating womens assessment of her risk Information Sharing Privacy Committee of SA Identification of High Risk Informed consent - always the preferred response Information Sharing Guidelines now operating across SA 2006 Family Safety Framework Slide 9 RegionImplementation Holden Hill 2007 Noarlunga 2007 Port Augusta 2007 Elizabeth October 2009 Port Adelaide October 2009 Port Pirie October 2009 Sturt April 2011 Adelaide Eastern April 2011 Limestone Coast August 2011 Berri November 2011 Murray Bridge January 2012 Port Lincoln May 2012 APY Lands 2013 Coober Pedy October 2012 Clare/Yorke Peninsula December 2012 Barossa/Gawler February 2013 Adelaide Hills March/April 2013 Ceduna June 2013 Whyalla July 2013 Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island October 2013 436 meetings held across South Australia that combined received 575 new referrals in 2013/14. Slide 10 Implemented in Alice Springs commencing in July 2012 Cross Borders Referral and Information Sharing Protocol: Alice Springs/ South Australia New South Wales - Safety Action Meetings Further development work includes: Reporting to court and parole board Data collection including attendance, referrals and referring agency by location Review of risk assessment form 2006 Family Safety Framework Slide 11 Role involves researching and investigating open and closed matters related to domestic violence Works as part of the Coroners Office team Aims to identify systemic improvements and facilitate inter- agency approaches to assist in the prevention of deaths which occur within a family or domestic violence context As at 30 June 2014 this position has conducted file reviews or investigations on over 100 homicide, suicide and multiple fatality deaths reported to the Coroner. These reviews have contributed to four Coronial Inquests which have a specific domestic violence context, resulting in a total of 30 Coronial recommendations aimed at improving domestic violence responses in South Australia. 2011 Senior Research Officer (Domestic Violence) in the Coroners Office Slide 12 INQUEST # 1: Deaths of Robin Hayward and Edwin Durance 2012 Internal and Inter-agency Case Management of High Risk Slide 13 Takes father to work with her for his protection 23456 8910111213 151617181920 222324252627 293031FEBRUARY 123 5678910 121317 1924 2628MARCH 12 Confides Violence to work colleague Takes Father to work with her for his protection 27 Murder of victim /Death of offender 3 Offender- 1 st in court date November 14 POLICE safety concern - resolved JANUARY 1 POLICE Safety concern - resolved 4 POLICE: Assault / Arrest / Bail Risk assessment - High 5 Community Support Agency #1 support + Housing application 6 Community Support Agency #2 - Housing available but not taken up at this point 9 POLICE Community support service # 1 Community Support Agency #3- 10 POLICE unsuccessful attempt to contact victim Slide 14 INQUEST # 2: Deaths of Jacob and David WYATT 2012 Information sharing, family safety planning (rather than a narrow therapeutic focus on the client) and protective factors (or the assumption of them) which may be present at a medium level of risk. Slide 15 2005 2009 FamiliesSA 6+ Child protection notifications Numerous financial support Health Midwife Family Home Visiting Domestic Violence Crisis Services DASSA Counselling Urine Screening Mental health James Nash House Community Forensic team Community treatment orders MAC Team MH Triage Justice Parole Board DPP District Court Prison & Community Corrections SAPOL Arrests- Offensive weapon Breaches MH detention NEAMI Non-Gov MH support Health ED Psychiatric Admissions SAPOL DV responses 24 year old Male: Deceased Self inflicted stab wounds 2 Year old Male: Deceased Stab wounds 20 Year Old Female: Critically injured Stab wounds 15 day old female: Seriously injured Stab wounds Slide 16 Mapping Service System context: Safety & Risk assessment/management points 2005200620072008 JulyDecJulyDecJuly X 1 (OV) X 1 (OV) X 1 (DV) X 6X 1 X 2 X 1X 2 X 1 2008 AugSepOct Nov Dec DV W X 6 X 5JN H X 1 X2 DV M H x 2W X 2X4X1 2009 JanFebMarch Fatal incident 16 March NEAMI / ACIS D - 5 days X1 28 Feb X1 Significant instances of Domestic (DV) /Other violence (OV) Parole Board/DPP/DCSA Community Corrections Community / Forensic Mental Health Other Mental Health (Gov & Non-gov) Breech of conditions Guardianship Order $ Admissions/detention MH Child protection notifications Community Treatment Order DV Services SAPOL Contact Ambulance Family Home Visiting Pregnancy/Child born Relationship Separation Housing instability Slide 17 INQUEST # 3: Death of Shane ROBINSON Disclosures of domestic violence and appropriate responses, investigation of and information sharing. Call for pro-active agency responses to disclosures Slide 18 The Coroner found that there were opportunities to intervene in the management of Mr Robinson in a way that might have prevented the events culminating in his death, thus saving not only his life but the serious sexual assault of an elderly lady and the serious stabbing wounding of a member of the police force This course of event is dealing with a repeat, seriously violent, high risk offender and parolee. There were obvious points of intervention drawn out by the inquest: Corrections management of the breeches of Parole and notifying the Parole Board ANCOR management of a known sex offender who was also known to be residing in a house with four girls under 18 years of age and seeing this a not ideal and also considering the option of making a child protection report The response by the DCS staff to the allegation of serious domestic assault on the 2 June 2009 and the subsequent response by SAPOL call centre to the report made by corrections. Slide 19 What part did responding to a domestic violence allegation, made one month prior, have in the potential to alter the circumstances of the offending and death? [1 minute 23 second break] SAPOL: Follow up, I have just had a chat with my Sergeant do you actually have a phone number for her where she can be contacted:? DCS: Yes SAPOL: Right, if she doesnt wish to take it any further though we cant make her. DCS: No thats fine, we are fully aware of that we just thought that because shes stated that shes um been assaulted last night and he broke into her property to assault her that obviously its still a police matter. SAPOL: Yes but we cant, but yeah, but we cant make her say that has happened DCS: No EXCHANGE TELEPHONE NUMBER AND NAME SAPOL: Ok then, DCS: Thanks you, bye Slide 20 INQUEST # 4: Death of Zahra Abrahimzadeh Failures on the part of police, need for oversight and police to follow policies and procedures Slide 21 1.all aspects of domestic violence policing be characterised by a sense of curiosity, questioning and listening. Risk assessment must be actually applied, not merely recited as a mantra; 2.SAPOL Criminal Justice Section be staffed by legal practitioners so that domestic violence restraining orders can be properly presented before magistrates; 3.all domestic violence calls to the SAPOL call centre are handled by sworn police officers with particular training in domestic violence risk assessment; 4.domestic violence training that cadets receive at the Police Academy from external domestic violence agencies occupy at least one day, rather than the half day that it has been reduced to; 5.domestic violence safe houses be flagged with police communications in order to ensure consistency of approach when a response to an incident or report is made; Slide 22 6.prosecutors appearing in domestic violence matters must, as a matter of course, seek out all available information about the longitudinal history of the domestic violence offending, particularly from Family Court documents if those exist; 7.prosecutors appearing in domestic violence matters must, as a matter of course, establish the outcome of the offence PIRs underlying the application; 8.that police officers do not ask domestic violence complainants whether they still wish to proceed unless there is some communication from the complainant that justifies such an enquiry; 9.when a domestic violence victim makes a report at a police station, they are afforded an opportunity of privacy in an interview room; 10.Priority A taskings should remain higher in priority than later, lower priority taskings. Slide 23 Leadership 2012 Violence against Women Collaborations Gender Equity Slide 24 Economic Independence 2012 Violence against Women Collaborations Gender Equity Web community through the stem australia website - www.stemaustralia.org.au specifically for women. www.stemaustralia.org.au Focuses on how to attract and retain women in STEM employment and includes information on mentoring and support networks for women, access to programs for young women and how to address stereotypes and the myth that women are not interested in STEM. Slide 25 Multi-agency partnerships working to create cultural and attitudinal change within the community that addresses the underlying causes of this violence 2012 Violence against Women Collaborations The Limestone Coast Collaboration has developed advertisements which focus on local men promoting safe and respectful relationships with women. The Port Augusta Collaboration advertisements focus on the diversity of people experiencing homelessness, including a woman escaping a violent relationship. Both advertisements provide contact numbers for people seeking assistance Western Adelaide Violence Against Women Collaboration White Ribbon events in 2012 and 2013 Developed a relationship with Adelaide United Football Club and will work in partnership to deliver White Ribbon activities throughout 2014. The first activity was at the Adelaide United final home game on 4 April 2014. The game had a theme for White Ribbon and Collaboration members attended and provided White Ribbon promotional materials and were available to talk to people attending the game Multi-agency partnerships working to create cultural and attitudinal change within the community that addresses the underlying causes of this violence 2012 Violence against Women Collaborations Western Adelaide Violence Against Women Collaboration White Ribbon events in 2012 and 2013 Developed a relationship with Adelaide United Football Club and will work in partnership to deliver White Ribbon activities throughout 2014. The first activity was at the Adelaide United final home game on 4 April 2014. The game had a theme for White Ribbon and Collaboration members attended and provided White Ribbon promotional materials and were available to talk to people attending the game Slide 26 2012 Violence against Women Collaborations 2014 Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children Premier announced South Australias membership of the Foundation on 8 August 2014 $320,000 committed over 4 years Part of the next suite of commitments to end violence against women Slide 27 New Initiatives Domestic Violence Serial Offender Database Domestic Violence Intervention Program Perpetrator Pays System Domestic Violence Coronial Database Multi Agency Protection Service Single Consistent Risk Assessment Form Ongoing review of reforms Slide 28 For more information SA Office for Women website http://www.officeforwomen.sa.gov.au/ http://www.officeforwomen.sa.gov.au/wome ns-policy/womens-safety SA Coroners Court findings http://www.courts.sa.gov.au/CoronersFindin gs/Pages/default.aspx