This report provides analysis and insights on data collected through Safe and Equal’s 2025 Demand and Capacity survey for Victoria. The data collection is focused on gathering an overall picture of demand for specialist family violence services and case management support, rather than intake demand across the system.

The findings highlight systemic workforce issues and the need for continued resourcing and attention on attraction, retention and workforce wellbeing. Services are operating and directing resources mostly towards crisis response due to demand, with opportunities to intervene earlier missed. 

Key findings

• Specialist family violence services continue to operate in a context of increasing complexity of needs and sustained systemic pressures, compounded by the ongoing housing and cost-of-living crises.
• Reported feedback to specialist family violence services from victim survivors was overwhelmingly positive.
• Services most frequently assessed cases at intake as being at ‘elevated’ or ‘serious’ risk, highlighting the severity and urgency of the family violence.
• Misidentification of victim survivors (as a person using violence) continues to be a systemic issue.
• The demand for refuge support continues to outstrip capacity.
• Workforce pressures remain persistent, with services reporting trends across several areas.