In this submission seven clients of Salvation Army family violence services speak about their experiences of the family violence and justice systems and make recommendations to the Royal Commission into Family Violence.

The women's interviewed highlighted the following themes:

• Police responses were generally good but inconsistent and depended on the police officer present.
• Women described their experiences of court as terrifying and exhausting.  Women said they did not feel safe while at the court house.  Most women did not have legal representation and had to return to court many times before legal matters were resolved.  Rulings were inconsistent and depended on the magistrate.
• Perpetrators of family violence were not held accountable.  Intervention Orders (IVOs) were not enforced and no consequence’s given to perpetrators for breaches.   It was left entirely up to women to report IVO breaches.
• Being forced to leave their home and move out of their local area was extremely traumatic, isolating, and disruptive for women and their children.  Children had to change schools multiple times which added to the trauma they experienced as a result of family violence. 
• Many women were not able to work as a result of family violence.  Not knowing how they would support themselves and their children was a key barrier to them leaving.
• Shame was a common barrier for women wanting to leave their relationship.
• Misunderstandings of family violence within the community mean many people, including women experiencing family violence, can’t recognise the warning signs.

Based on recommendations made by the seven women interviewed and consultations with our staff, The Salvation Army made a total of 23 recommendations to the Royal Commission.  These recommendations advocate for new initiatives and identify existing programs that need to be expanded to meet demand, including:

• Increase education on respectful relationships in schools so young people learn what a healthy relationship looked like.
• Start a community awareness campaign on family violence to reduce the shame and educate the community on the different types of family violence.
• Increase court’s capacity to work with victims of family violence including improving physical amenities, expanding the specialist Family Violence Court Division to all courts in Victoria and increasing training for magistrates and support staff.
• Establish a right to legal representation for victims of family violence and expand legal services accordingly.
• Increase affordable housing options for women and children including private rental brokerage and Safe at Home programs.
• Fund family violence services to meet demand, particularly for L17s.
• Expand the new Taskforce Alexis partnership model between Victoria Police, family violence and other community services.
• Increase perpetrator accountability through faster court processes, increased men’s behavioural change programs and certain consequences for IVO breaches.
• Ensure women and children experiencing family violence have access to the same supports regardless of where they live in the state.