This document summarizes some of the key findings from research projects conducted by Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) between 2014-2016. It discusses research related to 4 strategic research themes: 1) experience and impacts of violence against women, 2) service responses and interventions, 3) systems, and 4) gender inequality and primary prevention. Across these themes, the research found that violence disproportionately impacts women, rural women face additional barriers to support, and effective responses require multi-sectoral collaboration and addressing underlying gender inequality.

1. Australia’s National Research Organisation for
Women’s Safety: Preliminary findings from
ANROWS’s Research Program 2014-16 (Part
1)
Dr Trishima Mitra-Kahn, Research Manager
HK Lam, Senior Research Officer (Project Management)
FRSA National Conference, 10-12 November 2015

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Who we are
Not-for-profit national
independent research
organisation
An initiative under
COAG’s National Plan to
Reduce Violence against
Women and their Children
2010-2022 (National
Plan).

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Company

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Our purpose
• Lead national efforts to enhance the evidence base in the
areas of domestic violence and sexual assault across
research, education and service delivery organisations to
support the National Plan.
• Focus on translating evidence to resource policy
development and service delivery responses.
• Influence the broader national research agenda across
affiliated areas (e.g. homelessness and child protection).

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The National Research Agenda
Informed by:
1. Two gap analyses of contemporary Australian
research on violence against women: National
statistical collections (ABS) and Research since
2000 (UNSW + AIFS).
2. National stakeholder consultation and engagement:
• 127 written submissions
• 6 stakeholder roundtables (over 75 participants).

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The National Research Agenda (continued)
The National Research Agenda organises
research priorities within a framework of four
Strategic Research Themes (SRTs). These SRTs
provide a conceptual framework for the pursuit of
research to deliver the outcomes of the National
Plan as outlined on the next slide.

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Strategic Research
Theme (SRT)
National Plan outcomes the SRT corresponds to:
SRT 1
Experience and
impacts
Research addressing this SRT is fundamental to the overall delivery of the
National Plan and links closely to work in the National Data Collection and
Reporting Framework.
SRT 2
Gender inequality
and primary
prevention
1. Communities are safe and free from violence.
2. Relationships are respectful.
3. Indigenous communities are strengthened.
SRT 3
Service responses
and interventions
1. Communities are safe and free from violence.
3. Indigenous communities are strengthened.
4. Services meet the needs of women and their children experiencing violence.
6. Perpetrators stop their violence and are held to account.
SRT 4
Systems
3. Indigenous communities are strengthened.
4. Services meet the needs of women and their children experiencing violence.
5. Justice responses are effective.
6. Perpetrators stop their violence and are held to account.
The National Research Agenda (continued)

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The National Research Agenda (continued)
Four Strategic Research Themes (SRTs):
1. Experience and Impacts
2. Gender Inequality and Primary Prevention
3. Service Responses and Interventions
4. Systems
http://www.anrows.org.au/about/national-research-agenda

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Additional Strategic Research Theme
Fifth Strategic Research Theme (SRT): Research
translation and evaluation
• Added to generate evidence base for ANROWS’s work,
and others, to facilitate translation and communication of
research results for policy and practice

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ANROWS Research Program 2014-16 (Part
1)
20 projects of a combined value of $3.5 million (Category 1
status for project types 1 & 2). Four types of projects under
Research Programs :
1. Large-scale, multi-jurisdictional national projects (with
researchers identified through a competitive EOI
process).
2. Projects funded under open grants applications
(competitive process for researchers to apply for grants
in priority topic areas).
3. Small-scale, commissioned projects.
4. Other projects ANROWS is commissioned to undertake
(e.g. Commonwealth-funded Perpetrator Interventions
Research).

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Our publications
• ANROWS Horizons: Research papers
• ANROWS Landscapes: State of knowledge papers
• ANROWS Compass: Research to practice and policy papers
• ANROWS Insights
• ANROWS Fast Facts: Quick reference resources
• ANROWS Footprints: Quarterly publication
• ANROWS Notepad: Fortnightly publication

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Published papers and reports
SRT 1: Experience and impacts
• Violence against women in Australia: Additional analysis of the
Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Personal Safety Survey, 2012
• Seeking help for domestic violence: Exploring rural women’s coping
experiences
• Establishing the connection [between alcohol and other drug use
and sexual victimisation]
• Sexual assault and domestic violence in the context of co-
occurrence and re-victimisation
• Implementing trauma-informed systems of care in health settings:
The WITH study

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Published papers and reports (continued)
SRT 3: Service responses and interventions
• National mapping and meta-evaluation outlining key features of
effective “safe at home” programs that enhance safety and
prevent homelessness for women and their children who have
experienced domestic and family violence
• Advocacy for safety and empowerment
• What does it take? Developing informed and effective tertiary
responses to violence and abuse for women and girls with
disabilities in Australia

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Published papers and reports (continued)
SRT 4: Systems
• Meta-evaluation of existing interagency partnerships,
collaboration, coordination and/or integrated interventions and
service responses to violence against women
• Innovative models in addressing violence against Indigenous
women
• Building effective policies and services to promote women’s
economic security following domestic violence

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Published papers and reports (continued)
SRT 5: Research translation and evaluation
• Review of the evidence on knowledge translation and
exchange in the violence against women field

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Published papers and reports – key findings
SRT 1: Experience and
impacts

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Additional analysis of ABS’ 2012 Personal
Safety Survey
Violence against women in Australia: Additional analysis of
the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Personal Safety Survey,
2012
• Prepared by Dr Peta Cox, Senior Research
Officer (Research Program), ANROWS

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Additional analysis of ABS’ 2012 Personal
Safety Survey (continued)
Key findings:

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Additional analysis of ABS’ 2012 Personal
Safety Survey (continued)
Key findings (continued):
• 2 million women experienced emotional abuse by a cohabiting
partner
• Over half a million women said their children had seen/heard
partner violence
• Most common place for violence to occur: her home, his place
of entertainment
• 1 in 4 women took time off work

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Additional analysis of ABS’ 2012 Personal
Safety Survey (continued)
Key findings (continued):
• 1.7 million women had experienced sexual violence
• 67.3% women who experienced sexual violence also
experienced physical violence
• 87,800 women sexually assaulted in Australia
• Only 1 in 3 women sexually assaulted by a known male thought
the assault was a crime
• Both women & men 3x more likely to be physically assaulted by
a man
• Women with a disability more likely to experience multiple
incidents of violence by a man

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Rural women’s experiences in coping with
DV
Seeking help for domestic violence: Exploring rural
women’s coping experiences
Prepared by:
• Associate Professor Sarah Wendt, School of Psychology,
Social Work and Social Policy, University of South Australia
• Professor Donna Chung, Professor of Social Work and Social
Policy, School of Occupational Therapy and Social Work,
Curtin University
• Dr Alison Elder, Research Associate, Division of Education,
Arts and Social Sciences, University of South Australia
• Associate Professor Lia Bryant, Acting Dean: Research and
Research Education, University of South Australia

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Rural women’s experiences in coping with DV
(continued)
Key findings:
• Limited research on help-seeking by Australian women in
regional, rural & remote locations
• Important to consider social & geographical isolation in:
• service provision
• research
• Isolation may exacerbate fear,
control, social abuse & loneliness

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Rural women’s experiences in coping with DV (continued)
Personal shame
&
embarrassment
Fear being the
subject of gossip
Informal social
controls
Need to travel
long distances
to seek help or
relocate
Limited services
or generalist
services only
Key findings (continued):
• Factors:

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Alcohol & other drug (AOD) use and sexual
victimisation
Establishing the connection [between alcohol and other
drug use and sexual victimisation]
Prepared by:
• Dr Antonia Quadara, Research Fellow, Australian Institute of Family
Studies
• Ms Mary Stathopoulos, Senior Research Officer, Australian Institute of
Family Studies
• Dr Rebecca Jenkinson, Research Fellow, Australian Institute of Family
Studies

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Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and
sexual victimisation (continued)
Key findings:
• Sexual victimisation is associated with problem AOD use.
• In particular, child abuse is a general risk factor for problem
AOD use.
• Managing the traumatic effects of sexual victimisation through
AOD misuse can make subsequent victimisation more likely.
• Need to acknowledge the broader social & lived contexts that
may influence the relationships & motivations for AOD use.

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Alcohol & other drug (AOD) use and sexual
victimisation (continued)
Key findings (continued):
• Social & structural disadvantage can amplify risk of
victimisation & inform the meaning of drug use for
victim/survivors.
• Despite methodological limitations in the literature, growing
consensus that:
• sexual assault services sector & the AOD sector share a significant
number of clients
• integrated or coordinated service provision is key.

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Sexual assault & DV - co-occurrence & re-
victimisation
Sexual assault and domestic violence in the context of co-
occurrence and re-victimisation
• Prepared by Dr Peta Cox, Senior Research Officer (Research
Program), ANROWS
Key findings:
• Lack of longitudinal studies of re-victimisation reduces our
ability to make conclusions about causal factors or the nature
of victimisation over time.
• Much of the available research on IPSV and re-victimisation
can’t be extrapolated to findings about the general population.

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Sexual assault & DV - co-occurrence & re-
victimisation (continued)
Key findings (continued):
• Women who experience child sexual abuse (CSA) are:
• more likely to experience IPSV
• more likely to experience DV in their adult relationships.
• IPSV generally occurs in the context of other forms of violence
and was often part of a coercive control in a relationship.
• IPSV should be considered a tactic of DV, not a separate
phenomenon.

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Sexual assault & DV - co-occurrence & re-
victimisation (continued)
Key findings (continued):
• Heteronormative beliefs & conservative gender norms
associated with acceptance & experience of sexual coercion
for both men & women.
• IPSV victims are less likely to seek help than victims of other
forms of DV.
• Factors that may be a precursor, consequence or risk factor:
• AOD use
• emotional distress
• psychiatric conditions.

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Trauma-informed systems of care in health
settings
Implementing trauma-informed systems of care in health
settings: The WITH study
• Prepared by Dr Antonia Quadara,
Research Fellow, Australian
Institute of Family Studies

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Trauma-informed systems of care in health
settings (continued)
Key findings:
• Literature shows consistent themes about principles of trauma-
informed care, but little evaluative evidence.
• Future research recommended: how to …
• ensure that trauma-informed care meets the needs of women who have
experienced both mental health issues & sexual violence
• better integrate mental health & sexual violence service paradigms &
approaches to trauma-informed care
• enact trauma-informed care in practice when dealing with women who
have experienced both mental health issues & sexual violence
• implement trauma-informed care at an organisational level within
complex health systems successfully.

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Published papers and reports – key findings
SRT 3: Service responses &
interventions

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National mapping & meta-evaluation of
“safe at home” programs
National mapping and meta-evaluation outlining key
features of effective “safe at home” programs that enhance
safety and prevent homelessness for women and their
children who have experienced domestic and family
violence
Prepared by:
• Associate Professor Jan Breckenridge, School of Social Sciences and Co-
convenor, Gendered Violence Research Network, University of New South Wales
• Professor Donna Chung, Head of Social Work, School of Occupational Therapy
and Social Work, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University
• Dr Angela Spinney, Research Fellow/Lecturer, Swinburne Institute of Social
Research, Swinburne University of Technology
• Dr Carole Zufferey, Senior Lecturer in Social Work, School of Psychology, Social
Work and Social Policy, University of South Australia

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National mapping & meta-evaluation of “safe
at home” programs (continued)
4 pillars of “safe at home” (SAH) programs:
1) safety
2) integrated response
3) economic security
4) prevent homelessness
Key findings:

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National mapping & meta-evaluation of “safe
at home” programs (continued)
Key findings (continued):
• SAH programs is not a universal option.
• SAH programs can be an effective response for some women
– they appear to mitigate potential longer-term consequences
on:
• safety
• economic security
• housing
• social support.

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Good practice & innovative approaches
with Indigenous women experiencing
FDV in remote & regional Australia
Advocacy for safety and empowerment
Prepared by:
• Dr Robyn Holder, Research Fellow, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith
University
• Dr Judy Putt, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, School of Behavioural, Cognitive
and Social Sciences, University of New England
• Ms Cath O’Leary, Research Consultant, School of Behavioural, Cognitive
and Social Sciences, University of New England

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Good practice & innovative approaches with
Indigenous women experiencing FDV in remote
and regional Australia (continued)
Key findings:
• Diversification of FDV service landscape has led to
innovations, e.g.:
legal advice
individual &
system advocacy
helplines,
counselling or
healing activities
peer mentoring
& community
development
transition
housing
training &
education
• But little research / evaluation of these services in public
sphere.

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Good practice & innovative approaches with
Indigenous women experiencing FDV in
remote and regional Australia (continued)
Key findings (continued):
• Non-legal & non-clinical service responses to Aboriginal
women as victims/survivors of FDV - not much is known about
“what works”.
• Current literature doesn’t answer the question
“how do we know we are helping the individuals
we serve?”
• Possible to combine “ground-up” participatory methods with
researchers’ interests in rigorous findings to facilitate self-
definition and through it, empowerment.

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Tertiary responses to violence & abuse of
women and girls with disabilities in Australia
What does it take? Developing informed and effective tertiary responses
to violence and abuse of women and girls with disabilities in Australia
Prepared by:
• Dr Patsie Frawley, Senior Research Fellow, School of Health & Social
Development – Disability & Inclusion, Deakin University
• Associate Professor Sue Dyson, Principal Research Fellow, Australian
Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University
• Dr Sally Robinson, Research Fellow, Centre for Children and Young
People, Southern Cross University
• Ms Jen Dixon, Research Officer, Australian Research Centre in Sex,
Health & Society, La Trobe University

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Tertiary responses to violence & abuse of
women and girls with disabilities in Australia
(continued)
Key findings:
• Multi-agency collaborations necessary – to be based on:
• clear purpose
• shared understanding of purpose.
• Other factors for effective collaborations:
• quality & frequency of communication
• engagement of women and girls with disabilities
in planning & strategic stages.

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Published papers and reports – key findings
SRT 4: Systems

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Meta-evaluation of integrated responses to
violence against women
Meta-evaluation of existing interagency partnerships,
collaboration, coordination and/or integrated interventions
and service responses to violence against women
Prepared by:
• A/Prof Jan Breckenridge, School of Social Sciences and Co-convenor,
Gendered Violence Research Network, UNSW Australia
• Dr Susan Rees, Senior Lecturer, Psychiatry Research and Teaching Unit,
School of Psychiatry, UNSW Australia
• Dr kylie valentine, Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow, Social
Policy Research Centre, UNSW Australia
• Dr Samantha Murray, Senior Research Associate, Gendered Violence
Research Network, UNSW Australia

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Meta-evaluation of integrated responses to
violence against women (continued)
Key findings:
• Current Australian policy context prioritises integration & multi-
sectoral responses.
• Despite significant challenges to
integrated responses & limited evidence
base on effective responses, potential
benefits appear to outweigh the
alternatives.

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Meta-evaluation of integrated responses to
violence against women (continued)
Key findings (continued):
• Working collaboratively within integrated response network can
facilitate shared knowledge & communication of the client’s
circumstances & needs.
• Integration can overcome limitations of traditional, “siloed”
service delivery.
• While model of integration is important, implementation is
equally important.

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Innovative models in addressing violence
against Indigenous women
Innovative models in addressing violence against
Indigenous women
Prepared by:
• Winthrop Professor Harry Blagg, Law School, University of
Western Australia
• Ms Nicole Bluett-Boyd, Lead Researcher, Bluett-Boyd
Consulting. Melbourne, Victoria
• Associate Professor Emma Williams, Principal Scientist,
Evaluation for Northern Contexts Northern Institute, Charles
Darwin University

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Innovative models in addressing violence
against Indigenous women (continued)
Key findings:
• Increasing awareness that
Indigenous women require
own range of tailored
responses.
• Emerging practice in rural
& remote Indigenous
communities based on
appreciation of Indigenous
law, culture & knowledge.

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Policies & services to promote women’s
economic security following DV
Building effective policies and services to promote women’s
economic security following domestic violence
Prepared by:
• Dr Natasha Cortis, Research Fellow, Social Policy Research
Centre, University of New South Wales
• Dr Jane Bullen, Research Associate, Social Policy Research
Centre, University of New South Wales

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Policies & services to promote women’s
economic security following DV (continued)
Key findings:
• Action needed to build immediate & longer term economic
security of women who have experienced DV.
• Need for increased services & integrated responses across
diverse policy areas to respond to multifaceted nature of DV.
• Need to:
• make economic issues primary components of DV prevention &
responses
• ensure other systems (e.g. income support, employment, housing,
financial, legal systems) work more effectively together to prevent,
identify & respond to the economic tactics & impacts of DV.

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Published papers and reports – key findings
SRT 5: Research translation
& exchange

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Knowledge translation & exchange in the
violence against women field
Review of the evidence on knowledge translation and
exchange in the violence against women field
Prepared by:
• Ms Kate Spalding, Senior Policy Analyst, Parenting Research Centre
• Dr Michelle Macvean, PhD, Manager, Knowledge Synthesis, Parenting
Research Centre
• Dr Robyn Mildon, PhD, Director, Parenting Research Centre
• Mr Ben Devine, Research Officer, Parenting Research Centre
• Ms Jessica Falkiner, Research Assistant, Parenting Research Centre
• Dr Catherine Wade, PhD, Senior Manager, Parenting Research Centre
• Ms Faye Forbes, Research Assistant, Parenting Research Centre

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Knowledge translation & exchange in the
violence against women field (continued)
Key findings:
• Effective “Knowledge
Translation and Exchange”
strategies involves:
• interaction – not passive
• multiple strategies
• tailored strategies.
• Examples of effective
strategies:
• informal opinion leaders
• interactive educational meetings
• audit of performance & feedback
• reminders and prompts.

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Questions?