Putting survivors at the centre
November 20, 2025
Anglicare is hopeful that a review of Tasmania’s legal framework in the New Year will lead to better outcomes for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence (DFV).
The organisation will draw on its frontline experience and advocacy skills to make a submission to the Tasmanian Government’s Family Violence Discussion Paper. The paper calls for consultation on possible improvements to Tasmania’s Family Violence Act 2004 and related legislation.
Anglicare provides frontline community services that support victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, and their children. This includes the Relationship Abuse of an Intimate Nature (RAIN) program offered in the North West.
It operates the statewide Housing Connect Front Door service, the entry point for housing assistance, on behalf of Homes Tasmania. Each quarter Anglicare releases a Housing Connect Front Door Snapshot.
Anglicare’s Social Action and Research Centre (SARC) builds on this frontline experience and expertise to advocate for a whole range of Tasmanians experiencing disadvantage, including victim-survivors of DFV.
The paper Unsafe and Unhoused (October 2024) identified the lack of affordable and safe housing in the North West region as one of the greatest barriers to the safety of victim-survivors, particularly those on low incomes.
One of the most alarming trends reported in the Housing Connect Front Door snapshot in the January to March 2025 quarter was a 28% increase in DFV as the main reason for people seeking housing support.
“We are acutely aware of the range of challenges faced by women who are trying to rebuild their lives after experiencing DFV,” says SARC Policy and Advocacy officer, Ginny Toombs.
“We welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important legislative review that has the potential to strengthen the justice response and improve the lives of these women and their children.
It’s particularly encouraging to see that the review flags stronger engagement with victim-survivors, so that their lived experience and needs are put firmly at the centre.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women will be held on 25 November. It starts 16 days of activism that culminates in International Human Rights Day (10 December.) This year’s theme centres around digital abuse, where online technology, including social media, is used as a method of coercive control.
More information
If you are experiencing DFV and feel you are in immediate danger, call 000. The online service directory FindHelpTas lists services in your area that can support you.
Submissions on the Family Violence Discussion Paper can be made until midnight on Sunday 1 March 2026. Find more information here.
Anglicare’s RAIN program is not a crisis service. There is currently a waiting list for this program.
