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Safe at Home Project Presented with the 2008 Australian Crime & Violence Prevention Award

The award was presented by Minister for Home Affairs Bob Debus at an official ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra.

The Safe at Home is one of the six national winning projects, selected from a field of sixty seven nominated across Australia, focus primarily on domestic violence and youth and alcohol-related crime.

"These awards acknowledge the great work of exceptional people who help create a safer and better future for fellow Australians. Through hard work and commitment they have helped change community attitudes towards crime and reduced the incidence of crime;” Mr Debus said.”

Safe at Home Tasmania - Project Summary

A revolutionary response to domestic violence which unites police, prosecutors, counsellors, legal aid, court support and child protection workers in a collaboration that has led to increased community confidence.

Key success factors include

• Recognition that family violence is not just physical - the definition of family violence was widened to include emotional and economic abuse;
• The establishment of Victim Safety Response Teams (1 sergeant and 4 constables);
• The ability of police to extend the length of Police Family Violence Orders for up to 12 months;
• A Risk Assessment Screening Tool (RAST) - developed as part of the project and used by police to assess the likelihood of repetition or escalation of violence by the offender;
• A Family Violence Offender Intervention Program available to high risk offenders to help them address violent behavior;
• Children now recognised as victims in their own right, backed up with specific child-focused provisions, including specialist counseling services; and
• Mandatory reporting of children affected or likely to be affected by family violence rather than relying on the victims to have to make the report.

Key outcomes

• A decrease in the number of domestic violence murders (from 7 in 2000-03 to 4 in 2004-07);
• An increased sense of safety among the adult and child victims of domestic violence;
• Improved confidence within the community that if domestic violence crimes are reported appropriate action will be taken ; and
• Trends indicate a reduction in repeat offenders.
  

(16 October 2008)