Statistics show one in four women and one in 14 men have experienced intimate partner violence since age 15 — a stark reminder of a worsening crisis.
Australia’s response to domestic violence is evolving – including SA’s latest Royal Commission, the spread of coercive control laws to increased training for police and law enforcement.
But, new research reveals policing practices of Domestic Violence are often causing more harm than help. ‘Harm in the Name of Safety’, a report by the Beyond Survival Project, Flat Out and RMIT University, highlights evidence from Victorian frontline domestic violence workers, who say harmful policing of the issue is widespread, prompting calls for community-based pathways for victim-survivors.
Image: Image by Kindel Media sourced from pexels.com
Produced By: Tia Bailey, and Emma Wotzke
Featured In Story: Dr Peta Malins – co-author Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Justice Studies, and
First aired on The Wire, Thursday 30 October 2025