National standards for sexual violence responses
Responsible government
- Commonwealth
Fourth Action Plan actions
- Respond to sexual violence and sexual harassment
- 14 Deliver client-centred, trauma-informed, specialised and consistent support to victims and survivors of sexual violence.
- Improve support and service system responses
- 18 Improve access to and embed trauma-informed support for perpetrators of domestic, family and sexual violence to prevent reoffending and promote rehabilitation and treatment.
- 19 Build the evidence base to inform responses to domestic, family and sexual violence by strengthening the focus on what works to reduce violence, improving data and supporting the Fourth Action Plan priorities.
What are we doing?
The Commonwealth will work with key stakeholders including states and territories and experts in the sector to develop national standards for sexual violence responses for victim and perpetrator programs.
The Commonwealth Government will provide up to $2.6 million between 2019–20 and 2021–22 to fund national standards for sexual violence responses.
What have we achieved so far?
- In September 2021, the National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence (NASASV) published the National Standards of Practice Manual for Services against Sexual Violence (Third Edition) to reflect advances in best practice sexual violence service response. The Standards are available at nasasv.org.au and plan4womensafety.dss.gov.au
- The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has been engaged to update reporting against the National Outcome Standards for Perpetrator Interventions (NOSPI). The updated NOSPI report will provide a comprehensive account of the ‘state of play’ of perpetrator interventions.
- The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has also been engaged in May 2021 to undertake a national state of play on sexual violence response.
What is next?
- NASASV will launch the Standards virtually with the sector in December 2021.
- AIHW will complete the national state of play in sexual violence response in June 2022.
What difference will we make?
The intended outcome of this program is to improve responses to sexual violence.