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Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month

The month of May is marked as Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month by many organisations across Australia, and today is Domestic and Family Violence Remembrance Day.

A candlelit vigil to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives through domestic and family violence is taking place in Adelaide this evening, hosted by embolden.

Legal Services commends the entire sector for shining a spotlight on the scourge that is domestic and family violence, but also for the important and tireless work and advocacy of those on the frontline of service delivery.

While remembrance days and prevention months are important to highlight the issues to the community, the Legal Services Commission also supports the calls of experts in the field that more must be done by governments, NGOs, and society at large to tackle the scourge of domestic and family violence all year round.

Sadly, in 2022-23, 80 per cent of our clients who received a grant of aid for legal representation in a family law matter had experienced family violence.

We have previously welcomed the establishment of a Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence here in South Australia, and the appointment of Natasha Stott Despoja AO to lead it.

Legal Services provides services to South Australians with lived experience every day, and we look forward to contributing to the Royal Commission as a trusted voice on legal policy, legislative change, and service delivery in this sector.

We also note that this week a Bill passed State Parliament which will require any person who breaches a domestic violence intervention order that involved physical violence or a threat of violence, and gets bail will be subject to home detention and electronic monitoring. This Bill has not yet been assented to and will commence on a date to be proclaimed.

Media contact: Simon Halliwell 0421 611 856