Government Initiatives on Family Violence

Government Initiatives on Family Violence 1
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES ON FAMILY VIOLENCE
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Government Initiatives on Family Violence 2
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES ON FAMILY VIOLENCE
Introduction
For every society, a family is a basic unit in every community. Every family expects that
security, as well as comfort, will be granted. The idea of prosperity and happiness is primarily a
mystery to women and some few men where a family has ceased to be home but a source of
humiliation as well as pain. Violence against family members and married partners mostly
women is widespread globally. Violence in the home settings has become part and life of
millions of women, men and children a challenge that can no longer be denied (Mitchell 2011).
Family violence can be referred to like the violence against an individual in an intimately
personal, family or casual career relation. The perpetrator abuse and uphold power to control the
other person. These forms of violence may include psychological and emotional abuse, physical
as well as sexual harassment. In Australia, family violence mostly focuses on violence on women
in the society. The country also has an eye on violence from women to their men partners,
violence in lesbians or gay’s relationship and even violence among members of the extended
family (Kay and Spaaij 2012).
Impacts of Family Violence on Victims
Effect of Homicide
The National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) has done an investigation on
matters concerning homicide with the help of Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) in the
jurisdictions of Australia. The data collected mainly focused on the victims, circumstances of the
incidents and the offenders. In 2007 to 2008 there were 260 homicide incidents. 52% of them
were as a result of domestic violence that involved victims that either share spouse or family

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relationship with the lawbreaker. 31% were based on inmate ally’s homicide. A deduction was
made that of all the killings recorded, most of the victims were women.
Effects on health issues
Family violence has recorded severe effects on the victims’ mental and physical health.
According to Vic Health, domestic violence has emerged as the leading cause of any illness,
death or even disability in women from Victoria aged between 15 and 44. Those living with a
violent partner are prone to injuries such as bruises, broken bones, internal injuries such as brain
hurts and damages that demands immediate medical attention. People who have experienced
violence tend to have poorer health compared to them that have not. Continued violence to an
individual by either the spouse or related members of the family leads to Post-traumatic Stress
Disorder, depression as well as committing suicide.
Effects on children
Family violence has had a significant impact mainly on children living among violent
families and witnesses the violent acts. The children are at high risk of physical, sexual and
emotional abuse. In Australia and globally at large, exposure of children to family violence is
recognised as child abuse. Children that faces such acts are known to experience challenges such
as anxiety, increased aggression, depression, low self-esteem, peer conflict as well as learning
difficulties (Richards 2011).
Effect of homelessness
Family violence in Australia has led to homelessness to the victims. The issue may
happen if the victim is harassed to move out and has no other place to live. It can also occur in
the sense that the home was damaged by the offender who leaves the family homeless (Bagshaw
et al. 2010). The population of homeless women is at the increasing rate leading to drug abuse,

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mental health issues as well as disabilities. Homelessness comes with other financial burdens of
relocation. Relocating and accommodation takes time and also is stressful to the victims thus
other necessary effects such as employment and children education might be ignored.
Initiatives implemented to address family violence
Efforts on preventing relationship and family violence have recently been the central
focus of the Australia government. In the prevention of family violence, the nation has come up
with ideas, plans and strategies. Vic Health in Australia has identified themes that will guide
them in fighting the disaster to the vulnerable groups such as the women, children and the
youths. Men cannot be eliminated in the group since currently, issues have risen that some men
are experiencing physical as well as mental assault in their families. They suffer mostly in
silence due to the assumption that men are not supposed to expose their challenges but should
endure in silence looking for ways to solve them. Therefore, the government has come up with
campaigns and national plans to protect every person that may be experiencing any form of
violence (Hegarty et al. 2013)
Family violence has captured the government attention of Australia and therefore takes
preventive measures and programs, enforcement of the law and support to victims and their
families. In Australia, regulations and policies have been enforced and implemented responding
to family violence. The jurisdiction funds the systems and set programs. The Australian
government has also been involved in the funding of these programs and systems primarily in
supporting accommodation and provision of safe houses. Northern Territory Emergency
Response is a unit used by the government to ensure victims of family violence are helped
immediately as well as providing that such incidents are responded to with immediate effect. The
nation administers most of its services established to prevent family violence and to offer support