We need to change how we deal with domestic violence. Here’s how

From stronger workplace protections to safer disaster responses and greater awareness of forced marriages—South Australia is helping lead the way to protect women and children from abuse and drive real change in communities across the state and beyond.

Australia is facing a national emergency: one woman is killed every four days due to gender-based violence. In April 2024, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared violence against women a national crisis, reflecting the urgent need for action across all levels of society.

Communities are demanding change. In the Flinders Wicked Problems Report, 18 per cent of respondents ranked the issue of domestic and family violence as one of their top concerns.

But change is happening - from improving access to paid leave for victim-survivors, embedding women’s safety into disaster planning, or exposing the invisible issue of forced marriages - research from Flinders University is making a tangible difference.   

Stronger workplace protections for victim-survivors

Victims of family and domestic violence (FDV) now have stronger workplace protections, thanks to reforms shaped by an independent review of the national paid leave program.

The Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Act 2022, which came into effect in February 2023, entitles all employees to 10 days of paid leave. But experts found that stigma and lack of awareness were preventing many from accessing this support.

Dr Kate Seymour, a Flinders researcher with a background in social work, says the leave is closely connected to women’s employment and economic security as well as workplace culture and equity.

“Our research indicates that societal and community attitudes to FDV play a critical role in both victim-survivors' awareness and access to the leave and the recognition that FDV is a workplace issue.”   

All five recommendations from the Flinders review were accepted by the Federal Government, leading to reforms that improve awareness, reduce stigma, and better support women—who are disproportionately affected by domestic violence.

Information about the Family and Domestic Paid Leave entitlement can be accessed here.             

The hidden danger for women during disasters

Natural disasters like bushfires and floods bring more than environmental destruction —they also increase the risk of domestic violence. Now work done behind the scenes is helping emergency services and government planners recognise this hidden danger and act on it.

A review, co-authored by Flinders’ Professor Paul Arbon, found that women often face increased abuse during and after disasters, with many reporting violence for the first time. This violence often gets overshadowed by other pressing matters associated with recovery and reconstruction after disasters.

“There is international concern that women remain at a disadvantage in preparing for, surviving through, and recovering from disasters however, prevention depends on actions taken before a disaster occurs,” Professor Arbon says.

He adds that shifting strategies, whilst difficult, is essential to building resilience before the impact.

This research is pushing for women’s safety to be embedded in disaster response plans and for support systems to be tailored to diverse communities, including culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women who face additional barriers.

Shining a light on invisible, forced marriages in SA 

In South Australia, many young women are trapped in forced or servile marriages—often without knowing their rights. 

A new study, led by Professor Marinella Marmo and her team, Dr Nada Ibrahim and Associate Professor Hossein Esmaeili, reveals how these marriages— which often start as arranged ones—can trap women and girls in domestic, sexual, or labour servitude.

The work highlights that many community leaders and victims/survivors don’t know their rights, for example under Australian or Islamic law, and complex family dynamics often stop people from seeking help. This confusion means they miss out on support programs and justice.

“The knowledge gap faced by multicultural communities reflects broader societal failure to directly engage these communities including faith leaders as active partners in bringing about change,” Dr Ibrahim says.

This Flinders study calls for urgent government-led efforts to collect lived-experience data, raise awareness, and work with multicultural communities.

“The best strategy is to empower multicultural communities through accessible, accurate information so that we can work together to achieve shared goals,” Professor Marinella Marmo says.

By identifying gaps, challenging stigma, and informing policy, all this work is helping to build a safer, more equitable future for women and children across Australia.

If this article raised any concerns for you, help is available for any person experiencing family and domestic violence. If in immediate danger, call 000. For counselling and support, call 1800 RESPECT [1800 737 732]. For other support, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

At Flinders University, we are dedicated to finding solutions to complex challenges with research that matters. In a groundbreaking initiative, we asked 30,000 Australians from across the nation to voice the problems that matter to them the most in their local communities, resulting in The Flinders Wicked Problems Report. Read more here.