The Australian Psychological Society (APS) was pleased to make a submission responding to the Second Action Plan (National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032). The APS broadly supports the priorities of the Second Action Plan and makes several key recommendations to strengthen Australia's response to domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV). These recommendations include:
Improve DFSV data collection, risk assessment and information sharing
• Strengthen national DFSV data systems and adopt more consistent risk assessment and information-sharing frameworks across jurisdictions.
• Enable psychologists and other health professionals to participate in coordinated risk management and multidisciplinary responses.
Expand access to trauma-informed psychological support
• Allow victim-survivors to access Medicare-funded psychology services directly, without requiring a GP referral or mental health diagnosis.
• Increase the number of Medicare-funded psychology sessions available to victim-survivors to support longer-term recovery from trauma and coercive control.
Strengthen responses to coercive control
• Recognise the use of suicide threats and self-harm threats as potential tactics of coercive control.
• Develop nationally consistent guidance for practitioners to assess suicide risk and DFSV risk together.
Support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other priority communities
• Invest in culturally safe, community-led services and Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations.
• Provide sustained support for migrant, refugee, disability, CALD, LGBTQA+, rural and remote communities and mothers facing additional barriers to safety and services.
Invest in long-term prevention
• Sustain respectful relationships education, public awareness campaigns and early intervention programs.
• Treat housing security, economic security, childcare access and gender equality measures as core violence-prevention infrastructure.
Improve system integration and workforce sustainability
• Strengthen coordination across health, mental health, family law, housing, education, justice and specialist DFSV services.
• Address workforce shortages through secure funding, improved conditions, enhanced training and support to reduce burnout and vicarious trauma.
View submission