Safer Pathway was launched in September 2014 in Waverley and Orange. RLC auspices the Waverly LCP. This month the new system expands to Tweed Heads, Broken Hill, Bankstown and Parramatta.
Under Safer Pathway, every time Police attend an incident of domestic violence, a referral is automatically made to a LCP, where a secondary risk assessment is conducted with every victim within one working day. Victims are then connected with support services they may require, including housing assistance, counselling, financial assistance, legal advice, security upgrades and court advocacy assistance.
LCPs also administrate Safety Action Meetings (SAMs) fortnightly, in which government and non-government services discuss the most serious threat matters to ensure that each agency has offered that victim and her children as many services and options to keep them safe as possible.
The new system creates multiple opportunities for victims to engage with services. Even if a victim does not initially engage with police, she will still be given the opportunity to engage with support services when the LCP workers contact each victim and provide her the opportunity to connect with support services.
It Stops Here: Safer Pathway is the integrated and consistent response that has long been needed to assist domestic violence victims in NSW. The expansion of this system across the whole of NSW is expected within three years. RLC looks forward to the rapid expansion of the program to ensure that domestic violence victims receive the support they need as soon as possible.
For more on the Safer Pathway Reforms, check out our previous eBulletin article here.
Elly and Chris (not their real names), in their late teens, had been in a relationship for 6 months when Chris began to assault her. As his violent behaviour escalated, Elly’s parents contacted the police. After Elly made a statement about the ongoing violence, police applied for an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) on her behalf and arrested and charged Chris. Having assessed Elly to be at ‘serious threat’ of harm using a Domestic Violence Risk Assessment, police referred her to the Waverly LCP to obtain information about support services available to her. Despite the ADVO, Chris continued to harass and intimidate Elly. Her matter was referred to a SAM to consider how best government and non-government agencies could increase Elly’s safety. Suggested measures included a safety audit at Elly’s parents’ house by Staying Home Leaving Violence as well as the provision of specialist domestic violence counselling services. Police also continued to support Elly, encouraged her to continue reporting any ongoing harassment and confirmed they would not withdraw the ADVO due to ongoing concerns about her safety. |
Elly’s story demonstrates the efficacy of new procedures put in place for victims of domestic violence in NSW under the It Stops Here: Safer Pathway program, introduced in September 2014.
