By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Family violence is so common in family law disputes that its absence is now a “matter for comment”, according to a family law judge.
“I can say with confidence that family violence is the core business,” Judge Judy Small told a gathering to celebrate a pilot program to house family violence services at Dandenong family law court registry.
“It’s a matter for comment when there’s no family violence alleged.”
Her observations showed the need for the federal program Family Advocacy and Support Services (FASS) – which allows victims and perpetrators to be literally walked from the court into the offices of social workers.
The key goal is to keep families and children safe.
The survivors of family violence – mainly women and children – are assisted in a complex knot of problems.
Duty lawyers help with the legal issues, social workers assist with safety plans and finding alternative accommodation for victims.
The perpetrators are guided into men’s behavioural change and parenting programs, perhaps on a path to regaining access to their kids.
Judge Small said FASS was a welcome initiative, to have social scientists and lawyers working together.
There had been much progress, but family violence was still not widely understood, she said.
There was the misguided notion that a man could be an abusive partner but a good dad, for example.
Children who witness this abuse could suffer lifelong consequences, Judge Small said.
“The fact that it happens in the home is the real affront to me.
“It happens in a place where we should feel safest on this earth, where we feel safest, supported and loved.
“The betrayal of trust when family violence occurs … it’s extremely difficult to rebuild.”
FASS teams duty lawyers from Victoria Legal Aid and Peninsula Community Legal Centre with social workers from WAYSS and Relationships Australia.
The pilot, which started on 1 May, runs for about two years.
