Human Rights Day marks the end of 16 Days of Activism, providing us with an opportunity to reflect on the impact of family violence in our community. Familiarising ourselves with those at increased risk will help us to identify and respond to family violence presentations. We know some groups in our community are more likely to experience violence than others:
- Children and young people (including adolescents)
- Women
- Older people
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- LGBTIQA+
- People with disabilities
- People with a mental illness
- Those that live in remote or rural communities
- Women in or exiting prison
Family violence has increased significantly since the beginning of the pandemic. Recent research from Australian Institute of Criminology has shown that during this time, specific groups of women are more likely to experience family violence.
Women with long-term health conditions, including disability
Women with long-term health conditions are inherently more vulnerable in our community. Kellie Hammerstein, Monash Health’s Disability Initiative Lead, says “the greatest disparity in risk is found for intimate partner violence, with results showing that women living with disability were nearly twice as likely as women without disability to have experienced violence by a partner.”
Pregnant women
Some people are supported by their partners and families during pregnancy, others have a starkly different experience. Research has shown that pregnancy is a time when some people experience family violence for the first time or if they have experienced violence, during pregnancy it can escalate in frequency and severity.
At Monash Health, we have specific checks and supports in place in our Women’s and Newborn Program, to help ensure women are protected from family violence during pregnancy.
Women experiencing extreme financial stress
Financial stress impacts many different areas of a person’s life. It can affect the relationships we have, particularly with intimate partners. These situations may have been exacerbated throughout the pandemic, where we saw a rise in unemployment.
It was found that women in extreme financial distress were ten times more likely to experience physical and/or sexual violence than those who weren’t experiencing financial distress.
Younger women, between 18 years old and 24 years old
Younger women have been identified as a vulnerable group. It was found that women between the ages of 18 and 24 years old were eight times more likely to experience physical and/or sexual violence compared to women over 55 years old. They were also six times more likely to experience coercive control.
While concerning, they emphasise the importance of family violence training and education.
If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, there are many supports and resources available to you. You can find a list of resources on the Monash Health website and specific employee resources on the Monash Health COVID-19 website.
There is also a list of referral services available on PROMPT and a Family violence clinical guideline to help you when supporting clients experiencing family violence.
Hear from Monash Health’s Principal Strategic Advisor, Family Violence, Glenda Bawden
At this week’s employee forum, we heard from Glenda Bawden. Glenda is the Principal Strategic Advisor, Family Violence at Monash Health. She spoke about the 16 Days of Activism and the increase of family violence during the pandemic.
If you missed Glenda’s interview, you can view it here.
Approved by Adjunct Prof Katrina Nankervis