Victorian Perpetrator Inquiry Report released

The Victorian Parliament Legislative Assembly Legal and Social Issues Committee has released its final report: “Building the evidence base: Inquiry into capturing data on people using family violence in Victoria.”

💬 I was grateful for the opportunity to give evidence during the public hearings for this important inquiry in my capacity as Chair of Respect Victoria.

📄 This report marks a significant step forward in understanding and addressing family violence perpetration. It underscores the urgent need to move beyond fragmented and inconsistent data systems towards a coordinated, robust, and evidence-informed approach—one that supports prevention, early intervention, and accountability.

💡 The report includes 61 recommendations and 71 findings, with key opportunities for reform including:

🔹 Prioritising Indigenous Data Sovereignty
🔹 Rectifying misidentification of the person using violence
🔹 Learning what works in perpetrator interventions
🔹 Supporting a national population-based survey on perpetration
🔹Review and update the Victorian Minimum Standards for men’s behaviour change programs

The Report also highlights the importance of a whole-of-system response and the need to better capture the experiences of children and young people who use or are impacted by family violence.

This work is critical. Without better data, we cannot design the interventions, systems, and supports needed to stop the use of violence in Victoria and elsewhere.

📄 Read the full report here: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/fvpdata-reports