Survivors of abuse being put in danger by plans to release prisoners 70 days early, says commissioner Survivors of domestic abuse have been put in danger by ministers’ failure to give notice of the early release from prison of their abusers, a Home Office adviser has said. Nicole Jacobs, the independent domestic abuse commissioner, criticised the lack of warning of a new policy to free prisoners up to 70 days early from full jails ..read more

Perpetrator counselling programs are no ‘magical solution’ but a crucial pillar in preventing and stemming reoffending, experts say Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast David knew carrying out violence against his family was wrong. But it was a 20-week court-mandated program that taught him how to change his behaviour. After David – who asked not to use his full name – pleaded guilty to a domestic and family violence offence, he was given an intervention and community correction order. The sentence prevented him from contacting his family for 18-months. S ..read more

Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent, Paul Karp, talks to Peter Lewis from Essential Media about the current national debate around online safety reform and the spread of violent content on social media platforms in the wake of the alleged stabbing at the Wakeley church and the attack at Bondi Junction as well as the prevention and reduction of crime reduction and the upcoming budget. Read more ..read more

Ending an unsafe relationship does not always end abuse. In my experience, it has only escalated the efforts to control and destroy me I left an abusive relationship almost a decade ago, but my abuser has kept a noose around my neck every day since. At the time we had four young children, including a 12-month-old baby ..read more

Federal government eager to see program up and running but only a fraction of the promised staff have been hired Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast The federal government has told the states to expedite a $170m program to hire 500 new domestic violence workers, with New South Wales admitting it could have moved faster to get workers on the ground. The Albanese government has faced Coalition criticism for the fact only a fraction of the 500 workers have started work under the program, but it is the s ..read more

Living rurally raises the risk of intimate partner violence for women. The main risk factors are the same as in the city, but there are issues specific to the bush that have to be addressed Sign up for the Rural Network email newsletter Join the Rural Network group on Facebook to be part of the community People often dream of small town life. It’s the idea of belonging, I think. My local supermarket, my post office, my bank and my chemist are in the same block. My newsagent is also my cafe. Every time I go to town, people can see where I go and who I meet. Life is conducted in a goldfish bow ..read more

‘Equal shared parental responsibility’ has been assumed to be in a child’s best interests. This is true in many cases – but in some it can be dangerous The first four months of 2024 have brought the horror of violence against women into the news feeds of everyday Australians. Each day we have been told the appalling count of one woman murdered every four days. We have been shocked by its brutality, lethality and frequency and have rallied and called for action. Governments have responded by making new funding announcements and promising more policing. These responses have drawn qualified prais ..read more

Anger and grief have erupted, with women demanding action from the government on what has become a national emergency It was the death of Samantha Murphy that prompted a sense that something in Australia was very wrong. The 51-year-old mother of three left her home in Ballarat in regional Victoria to go for a jog at around 7am on a Sunday morning in early February and did not return ..read more

Katy Gallagher says more aid for women escaping violence could come in form of increased rent assistance as sector struggles to recruit workers Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Just 30 of the 500 frontline domestic violence workers promised by the Albanese government have been delivered so far, the minister for women, Katy Gallagher, says. Gallagher, who is also the finance minister, revealed the difficulty recruiting workers in a pre-budget interview with ABC’s Insiders, suggesting that further h ..read more

I have survived an abusive relationship, stalking and sexual assault … yet even I was stunned at the revelation of men using smart fridges to threaten women In the wake of more, more, more reports of lethal male violence against women in Australia – and the protests demanding actions that have followed them – Michael Salter’s analysis of the problem is refreshingly clear. “Education and public awareness are important but they are not, in themselves, a cure,” the academic wrote last week. “We need a strategic, coordinated, practical approach that integrates many different responses and listens ..read more