Welcome to a new era of self-determination for the National Family Violence Prevention & Legal Services Forum, and its evolution to:
First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence
As of July 1, 2024, the National Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services Forum (the Forum) will operate as a standalone incorporated identity under the new company structure, strategic plan, name, and brand identity of First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence (FNAAVF).
The FNAAFV name and brand identity is representative of the evolution of the organisation to a self-determined, community-controlled, national peak body. While our name may be changing, we remain steadfastly committed to creating a future where all First Nations communities and individuals live free from the devastating impacts of family violence.
Learn more about the evolution of the FNAAFV brand in our company brand FACT SHEET.
'Community Connections' artwork by Nikita Herd.
Rates of violence against First Nations women are 34 times higher than other women in Australia, and up to 80 times in the worst areas of the country
The scale of the problem is much greater than this, however, because it is known that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are less likely than other women to report family violence or to seek support because of judgment, discrimination, shame or fear. The health and wellbeing of First Nations children depends upon the safety and resilience of First Nations women and families, so addressing family violence is a central priority in eliminating inter-generational disadvantage and discrimination against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.
FNAAFV works with its FVPLS members, communities, governments and other partners to raise awareness about family violence effecting First Nations people, and to advocate for culturally safe legal and other holistic responses to this issue. The organisation provides a unified voice for its FVPLS members in areas of national policy, planning and law reform, and being a member of the national Coalition of Peaks, FNAAFV is committed to the national Closing the Gap targets, including Target 13:
- “Target 13: By 2031, the rate of all forms of family violence and abuse against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children is reduced at least by 50%, as progress towards zero.”
Read more about the Closing The Gap Targets and the Priority Reforms of the National Agreement.
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This week, it is expected that the Standing Council of Attorneys-General will sign off on the National Access to Justice Partnership (NAJP), giving effect to the Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service (FVPLS) sector’s inclusion in the NAJP from mid next year.
Once the agreement is ...signed, we will continue to advocate for the smooth transition of the FVPLS sector into the NAJP and call for the following commitments to be honoured:
• Consultative Transition Process with States and Territories
• Pay Parity
• Annual Indexation
• Preservation of the Holistic FVPLS Model
• Infrastructure Investment
• Baseline Funding Clarity
• Reallocation of Resources from Mainstream DFSV Services to FVPLSs
• Data Sovereignty and
• An Equitable Funding Model
https://federation.gov.au/national-cabinet/media/2024-09-12-heads-agreement-national-access-justice-partnership
Critical data and progress tracking are seriously lacking from the Productivity Commission's latest data report into Closing The Gap targets, and our mob, particularly First Nations women and children, deserve better.
Our full response to the report is available on our website: ...https://fnaafv.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Media-Release_-DFV-Peak-Body-Calls-for-CTG-Progress_Nov-2024.pdf
Three months ago, we welcomed the tabling of the long-awaited ‘Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Children Report’ and its 10 recommendations. We are keen to be further advised on the recommendations that will specifically support the Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services ...sector to deliver services that address Target 13 of Closing the Gap.
We eagerly await the Government’s response to the report, which is expected in the coming days, and call for clarity regarding the implementation of its recommendations.
“We note the recommendations in the report and consider them to be meaningless without concerted government investment to empower our communities and ACCOs to deliver on these recommendations,” FNAAFV CEO Kerry Staines said.
The full report is available here. https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportsen/RB000085/toc_pdf/MissingandmurderedFirstNationswomenandchildren.pdf
A quick note to our followers to this page...
You may have noticed that our page name now reflects the new name of our company having rebranded from 'National Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services Forum' to:
'First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence ...(FNAAFV)'
Stay tuned for more great yarns and insights about our new identity😃
FNAAFV acknowledges and respects the traditional custodians whose lands we are fortunate to live and work on and we pay our respects to all Elders past and present.
