Submission to the Inquiry into domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) and suicide

The APS has made a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs Inquiry into the relationship between domestic, family and sexual violence (DSFV) and suicide. The submission highlights the relationship between experiences of violence and suicide risk, and the need for more coordinated responses across systems.

The APS submission draws on research evidence and the expertise of members working in this area and calls for action to strengthen prevention and support. Key recommendations include:

• Integrating suicide and DSFV risk assessment, so services identify and respond to these risks together rather than through separate systems.
• Improving national data collection to better capture suicides occurring in the context of family and domestic violence.
• Strengthening coordinated responses across health, justice and specialist family violence services, including greater participation of psychologists in multidisciplinary risk management.
• Improving access to psychological support for victim-survivors and children affected by violence.
• Investing in workforce capability, including national training and professional support for practitioners responding to the intersection of DFSV and suicide.

The APS thanks the members who contributed their expertise to the development of this submission.

View Submission