Women’s experiences of the family violence justice system in a post-Royal Commission landscape

Background

This research project explores how police applications for intervention orders have shaped women’s experiences of the justice system in regional Victoria. With funding from the Victoria Legal Foundation, ARC Justice is collecting data from women listed as "affected family members" (AFMs) on family violence intervention orders (FVIOs) and a range of sector stakeholders. The project will produce a typology of women’s experiences following police-brought FVIOs, including their pathways through courts, engagement with support services, and procedural and justice outcomes.

Aim

The overall aim of the project is to contribute practical evidence to inform service improvements, system efficiencies and access to justice outcomes for women experiencing family violence. It is anticipated that the typology of AFM experiences will highlight gaps and opportunities for better coordination between stakeholders.

Methods

The project will adopt a qualitative approach focusing on interviews with individual AFMs and stakeholders ("key informants") in the legal and wider justice sector. Thematic analysis will produce a typology of AFM experiences after a police-brought FVIO application. The typology aims to be representative of common pathways, rather than extreme or unusual cases. Collection of typical cases will enable comparison of processes, attitudes and access to justice outcomes. Analysis will be validated through stakeholder analysis workshops to discuss emerging findings and practical recommendations.

Significance

The research is designed to investigate possible service coordination approaches, referral mechanisms and other systems improvements that will lead to better outcomes for AFMs and the organisations that work with them. We anticipate that the typology of women’s experiences of the justice system following an FVIO application will provide evidence of inconsistencies and inefficiencies that could be addressed through better sector coordination and collaboration. Overall, our goal is to improve our collective understanding of how best to facilitate "access to justice" for women engaged with the family violence justice system.

Funding Body

Victoria Law Foundation

Funding Budget

$64,326

Project start date

May 2021

Expected completion date

July 2022