Reports draw on 34,000 family violence clients

Data from more than 34,000 family violence clients across Victoria, South Australia and the Northern Territory has exposed major gaps in how Australia measures demand for specialist services.

Two new reports, Measurement with Meaning and Coming into View, combine information from specialist domestic and family violence services working mostly with women and children affected by violence. The work was created by the specialist sector and funded by the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

Among the findings, children and young people made up almost 40% of recorded clients, but their experiences were under-recorded. The research also found current data does not capture unmet support needs, including people turned away because services do not have capacity.

Safety Measures National programme Director Louise Simms said the recorded demand was incomplete. “We know the reported service demand is the tip of the iceberg, concealing the full extent of need for specialist DFV support,” she said.

Northern Territory records highest rate

The Northern Territory recorded the highest per capita engagement with specialist services in the three jurisdictions, with more than 132 clients per 10,000 population. That compared with 38 in Victoria and 23 in South Australia.

The reports said service demand was shaped not only by violence itself, but also by poverty, housing, child protection and justice systems. They also found core parts of practice including risk assessment, safety planning and case coordination are not visible in collected data.

Simms said the current system only counted people who “successfully” engaged with services and missed those who were turned away or did not seek help through the system.

Paul Ramsay Foundation Head of Families Jackie Ruddock said the findings had implications for policy and funding decisions. “Behind every data point is a person seeking safety. Better evidence leads to better responses,” she said.

The Safety Measures partnership draws on six organisations: Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory, Elizabeth Morgan House, Embolden South Australia, Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council, Northern Territory Council of Social Services, and Safe and Equal. Further insights and recommendations are due in 2027.

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