1. Responding to Family Violence Through Successful Partnerships Teri van Geelen Corrections Victoria Sonia Chudiak Melbourne Citymission

2. Definition of Family Violence Family Violence is defined as: Behaviour by a person towards a family member if that behaviour –Is physically or sexually abusive –Is emotionally or psychologically abusive –Is economically abusive –Is threatening or coercive –Controls or dominates the family member and causes them to fear for their safety or wellbeing (Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (VIC)

3. Definition of Family Violence cont. Family violence behaviours: Assault or personal injury or the threat to do so Sexual assault or sexually coercive behaviour Intentional property damage Unlawful deprivation of liberty Death or injury to an animal (Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (VIC)

4. Family Violence in Victoria 6.7 per cent of females over the age of 15 have experienced violence against their person 23.0 per cent of women who have been married or in a defacto relationship have experienced violence by a partner (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2005, Personal Safety Survey)

5. Family Violence in a Correctional Setting It is estimated that 85 per cent of female offenders have been victims of abuse in childhood and/or adulthood (Uniting Church in Australia 2010 “Women In Prison In Victoria”) Evidence of an association between history of abuse, illicit drug use and female criminality (Australian Institute of Criminology 2003, “The Female Criminal: An Overview of Women’s Offending Drug Use and Offending Behaviour”)

6. The Better Pathways Strategy THEMEAIM Reducing women’s offending To reduce the number of women who offend Reducing women’s imprisonment To reduce the number of women who enter prison custody Reducing women’s re-offending To reduce the number of women who re-offend Reducing women’s victimisation To reduce the level of women’s victimisation

7. Better Pathways Strategy cont. Model of service delivery that is built upon a platform of partnership arrangements across: Government departments Community service providers

8. Definition of Partnerships The term ‘partnerships’ is a commonly utilised term referring to cooperative activities across government departments and between the public and private sector “A formal process of bringing teams from different organisations together where they co-operate to achieve separate but mutually complementary objectives” (Borzsony & Hunter, 1996, “Becoming a learning organisation through partnership”)

9. Partnership Continuum

10. Cross Jurisdictional Partnership NSW Department of Corrective Services Corrections Victoria Sharing of goals Detailed planning and clarification Formal agreement

11. Community Partnership Melbourne Citymission Corrections Victoria Service delivery expertise Service delivery capacity Experience in facilitating partnerships

12. Critical Factors for Successful Partnerships 1.Strong commitment throughout organisations 2.Shared / common understanding about partnership goals 3.Formal arrangements 4.Effective communication