Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence (CCR)

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Coordinated Community Response to Domestic
Violence (CCR) Wynnum Pilot Project
Is a Coordinated Community Response to Domestic
Violence effective? Can it strengthen links
between services that respond to people affected
by domestic violence?
Presenter Pauline Eglington - Co-ordinator
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How did the Coordinated Community Response to
Domestic Violence evolve?

• 1994 /1995 Brisbane City Council
• Establish Community Development Section
• ? Can local Government get involved in issues
  like domestic violence?
• 1995 / 1996 Forums / Workshops
• Meetings with Lord Mayor
• Minister
• Director General
• Commitment - Senior workers across departments
  and relevant community sector
• 1998
• Coordinated Response
• Develop Model
• Selection Criteria
• Wynnum
• Auspice

Auspice Family and Community Support
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Steering Committee Members

• Brisbane City Council
• Department of Families Qld
• Department of Justice and Attorney General
• Department of Corrective Services
• Qld Police Service
• Office of Womens Policy
• Family Court of Australia
• Domestic Violence Resource Centre
• Combined Womens Refuge Group
• Womens Legal Service
• Lord Mayors Womens Liaison Group
• Immigrant Womens Support Service
• Kinections
• Combined Womens Refuge Group

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Aims and Principles

• 1. To provide a co-ordinated response to people
  affected by domestic violence in Wynnum, with a
  specific focus on co-ordination across the
  justice system.
• 2. To trial and evaluate a model of a
  co-ordinated community response which

• informs the local community about the issue of
  domestic violence and encourages community
  involvement in responding to the issue
• co-ordinates relevant social services and the
  justice system agencies within the local
  community
• demonstrates a model of appropriate justice
  system responses to the aggrieved and to the
  respondent
• promotes the utilisation of existing criminal
  law to respond appropriately to criminal violence
  in a domestic context
• demonstrates the utilisation of the breach
  provisions of the Domestic Violence Act
• advocates accountability to the aggrieved at
  every stage of intervention
• demonstrates that those who perpetrate the
  violence accept responsibility for their
  behaviour
• demonstrates a model of intervention which is
  empowering for the aggrieved
• can be implemented in other communities
• provides a basis for further policy and program
  development by state and local government and the
  community

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Principles

• 1 Domestic violence needs to be understood in the
  political, social, cultural and economic
  structures and conditions that create unequal
  power between men and women.
• 2 Domestic violence is about the abuse of unequal
  power and control.
• 3 Safety of the victim is essential in all
  procedures.
• 4 It is recognised that domestic violence has a
  number of contributing factors, but that violence
  is ultimately a choice. Perpetrators are
  responsible for the violence.
• 5 There must be consistency of response from all
  agencies / departments who intersect with the
  parties and this will be reflected in the
  protocols.
• 6 The project needs to ensure that all key
  stakeholders from the diverse parts of the
  community are included. The stakeholders are
  those who are involved in the development and
  management of the project and on whom the project
  impacts.
• 7 Accountability is required at all levels.
• 8 Appropriate responses are to be devised for
  perpetrators of abuse.
• 9 Acts of domestic violence that constitute a
  criminal offence should be dealt with as a
  criminal offence.

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Initial Model

• CO ORDINATOR
  
  
  Manage the day to day operation of
  the project. Facilitate development of protocols
  and community training.
• ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
  
• Provide administrative assistance to the
  Project Staff, and data collection and recording.
• SPECIALIST WORKER - AGGRIEVED (SWA)
  Provide
  an appropriate immediate and ongoing response to
  the victim of domestic violence.
• SPECIALIST WORKER - RESPONDENT (SWR)
  
• Provide an appropriate immediate and ongoing
  response to the perpetrator of the domestic
  violence.
• PERPETRATOR PROGRAM
  
• Provide assessment, monitoring, education and
  support to the perpetrator in consultation with
  the victim.

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Funding

• Brisbane City Council

Families Youth Community Care Qld
Queensland Law Society
Centrelink

• Additional Funds and small grants have been
  received from
• Gaming Machine Community Benefit Fund
• Port of Brisbane
• Rotary Club of Wynnum Manly
• Zonta International Wynnum Redlands
• Quota Club Wynnum

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Adapted Model
CCR Staffing
Co-ordinator F/T Commenced May
1998 Administrator P/T Commenced July
1998 Specialist Worker Aggrieved F/T Commenced
November 1998 Additional positions created due to
identified need Facilitator - Womens
Group P/T Commenced June 2000 Project worker to
connect with local Indigenous community P/T Commen
ced November 2000 Kinections Mens Perpetrator
Program P/T Commenced Feb 1999 for 12 months
Recommenced September 2000
Envisaged response all domestic violence
incidents were reported to the Specialist Worker
Aggrieved (SWA) and the Specialist Worker
Respondent (SWR) and responded to within the 24
hour period. Actual Response Referral are made
to the Specialist Worker Aggrieved who only
responds when the aggrieved has requested
assistance.
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Local Focus Group

• Queensland Police Service Wynnum
• Community Corrections Wynnum
• Magistrates Court Wynnum
• Department of Families Wynnum Office

• Redlands Domestic Violence Service
• Centrelink Wynnum
• WINNAM Aboriginal Corporation Wynnum
• Kinections Wynnum

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RANGE OF STRUCTURES/WORK ENVIRONMENTPolice
Perspective Law EnforcementWork with in
Operation and Procedures ManualAdminister Acts
of Parliament Court PerspectiveAggrieved and
RespondentImpartialSafety for all Victims
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Range of understandings - workers value and
belief systems- structures of Police, Courts
(Justice Response - Philosophy), Community
Corrections

• Protocols
• Developed between the CCR project team and Police
  Service Wynnum, Wynnum Magistrates Court,
  Community Corrections Wynnum, Kinections Wynnum,
  Redland Domestic Violence Service and Centrelink
  Wynnum.

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Impact of Changing Staff within the Justice
Response

• Officer in Charge
• Magistrates
• Domestic Violence Liaison Officer (DVLO)
• Police Officers
• General staff

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Fortnightly Local Focus Group Meetings

• Ensures issues are raised through open
  communication
• Protocols
• Trust
• Confidentiality
• Highlights work well done

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Limited Response

• Crisis intervention model
• Assistance with Protection Order applications
• Court Support
• Information and referral
• Part-time response to Perpetrators by Kinections

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WHAT DOES WYNNUM LACK?

• No community development function /
  infrastructure outside of BCC
• No Community / Neighborhood Centre
• Diverse Economics
• Poor Transport
• Low in Resources
• Low in DV Resources
• No Crisis Housing
• No womens networks
• No DV childrens worker
• No Counseling service
• No refuge
• Long Public Housing wait (80months)

DEMOGRAPHICS

• High in Unemployment
• High ATSI Population
• High Youth Population
• High Elderly Population
• High in new housing estates

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RESOURCES DEVELOPED BY THE CCR PROJECT TEAM

• HELP CARD
• INFORMATION BROCHURE FOR CLIENTS
• INFORMATION BROCHURE FOR ORGANISATIONS
• BI MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
• INDIGENOUS HELP CARD
• INFORMATION KITS FOR WOMEN MEN EXPERIENCING
  DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

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Community Events

• International Womens Day Breakfast 1999 - 40
  people attended
• Domestic Violence Prevention Week 1999 - 500
  people attended
• International Womens Day Breakfast 2000 - 150
  people attended
• Domestic Violence Prevention Week 2000 - 900
  people attended
• White Balloon Day Luncheon 2000 - 55 people
  attended
• International Womens Day Breakfast 2001 - 100
  people attended
• Domestic Violence Prevention Week 2001 TIMEOUT
  event 600 attended
• Community Mural Project Wynnum 2001 Crossing
  Boundaries

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IT Systems within the Justice System

• Police, Community Corrections,
• Magistrates Court
• Lack of ability to interface - no accurate
  picture of response to individuals through the
  justice system.
• Statistics are hard to obtain on Protection Order
  Applications, Orders and Breaches.

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Emerging Data

• 21.5 of Women applicants have previous Domestic
  Violence Orders (abuse on contact)

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Independent EvaluationAn Independent Evaluation
has run parallel to the Project and has
identified the following
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Coordinator position was seen as essential to
the success of the CCRDV Project and the role is
seen as.

• offering continuity and stability in a sector
  where people change positions frequently
• crucial in negotiating the introduction of
  protocols with other agencies
• crucial in establishing standards of best
  practice.
• essential for the maintenance of the group

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• Members of the LFG identified
• continuity the Coordinator brought to the
  project essential due to high turnover of
  personnel within agencies.  
• group would not be viable without support
• without Coordinator role the LFG would be hit
  and miss interagency.
•   Community Development work praised
• Community support for the CCR project was high
  due to the extensive community activities,
  information sessions and work with the schools by
  Coordinator

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Local Focus Group.

• Attendance at the LFG represents a major
  commitment. Most LFG members expressed
• personal and individual commitment to the project
  
• supportive managers.
• transient nature of members makes stability of
  LFG difficult.
• the LFG was a positive experience.
• The LFG was a learning experience
• process has led to an improved service for women.
  
• Educational/information component produced a high
  level of cohesion.
• Information sessions meeting a gap in the
  training needs
• high level of community support for the CCR.
• Community attendance at public events impressive
  and an indicator of community support.
•  

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Achievements of the CCR as identified by LFG
members

• more integrated services for women
• raised profile of domestic violence in the
  community
• greater interagency cooperation
• agencies more accountable both to other
  agencies and the community
• improved experience of female aggrieved at court
• issues raised dealt with appropriately
• ability to develop solutions to issues

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Specific comment on LFG and coordination

• Project offers a forum would not happen
  without it.
• Provides structure for information flow hit and
  miss before.
• Important for victims to know there is
  communication between agencies.
• Great for accountability.

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STEERING COMMITTEE

• The membership of the Steering Committee has
  identified
• problem solving
• evaluation
• resources
• informing policy
• identification of emerging issues and,
• development of a shared agency perspective as
  major roles of the committee with a continued
  focus on the criminal justice system.

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• Achievements of the
• Steering Committee
• setting program up
• training for members
• success of CCR locally
• whole of government conversation on issue
  (coordinated responses to domestic violence)
• good relationships locally and across all levels 

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• Difficulties for the
• Steering Committee include
• piecemeal funding for project (model would have
  been more successful if all funding available at
  commencement of project)
• inability to maintain diversity
• some members of Steering Committee not at
  sufficiently senior level to make systemic
  changes

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SURVEY DATA

• - 63 of women assisted reside in Wynnum
• - 6 of women identify as indigenous
• 13 of women identify from diverse cultural
• background
• 77 of PO applications are lodged by Aggrieved
  women
• - 19 of PO applications are taken out by Police
• 72 identified Police as first contact agency
• Rate of dissatisfaction with first agency
  response down from 7 to 1
• - No unsatisfactory comment since January 2001
• - All clients satisfied with service by SWA.

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FINDINGS FROM COURT SURVEYS

• 50 of women had no previous experience
• with justice system
• 100 of women indicated information accurate
• and appropriate
• 90 indicated Police involvement
• 70 Police Prosecutor assisted

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Specific Comments By Women

• The role the SWA played was excellent. It
  allowed me to know what I could do. This time I
  was more informed and confident about the
  process.
• The SWA was the person who mainly provided
  information on court proceedings. The Police
  advised about safe practices such as taping phone
  calls evidence for breaches to Protection
  Orders and what to do when arriving home

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SUMMARY of COURT FINDINGS

• 80 of women appearing at Wynnum Court
• are assisted by SWA
• Police and Court present bulk of referrals to
• CCR
• 71 of women assisted by SWA with PO
• applications have dependent children

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Perpetrator Program

• Perpetrator Program auspiced by Kinections
• Initial 12 months funding Jan to Dec 1999
• (22 hours per week)
• Second Program commenced August 2000
• (12 hours per week)
• Service delivery provided
• - face-to face counselling
• - voluntary perpetrator group
• - mandated perpetrator group
• - community education/training

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ACHIEVEMENTS

• - establishment of Perpetrator Group
• - strong links with local agencies
• provision of training to Community
• Corrections staff
• marketing of program/finding suitable men
• to participate
• - linkages with the Indigenous Mens Group
• - provision of one mandated perpetrator group

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RESPONSE TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

• CCR have never been funded to respond to Children
  and Young People
• Strategies to respond
• - Dept of Families Area Office involved
• training on the effects of domestic violence on
  children and young people
• - training on Child Support Agency and Family
  Court Process
• - awareness raising/information distribution
• - facilitate forum to identify gaps in service
• - participate in activities - Child Protection
  Week
• - involve children/young people in Domestic
  Violence Prevention Week
• - involvement in school based activities

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RESPONSE TO DIVERSE CULTURAL GROUPS

• Connect with
• - WINNAM Aboriginal Housing
• - Immigrant Womens Support Service
• Training and Related Activities
• - cultural awareness
• - Indigenous involvement in Staff selection
• - Police Liaison Officers involved in LFG
• - Active link with Stradbroke Island elders
• Indigenous artists/performers in all Domestic
  Violence Prevention Week Activities
• - Joint project / submission writing

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Other Outcomes

• Employment of part-time project worker for 6
  months has led to
• establishment of Mirri Gimpa
• Indigenous Womens Group
• development of Indigenous specific
• Help Card.

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Information Sessions

• Court Assistance Training (4 day seminar)
• Domestic Violence Unit - Legal Aid
• Immigrant Womens Support Service
• Children and Domestic Violence
• Social Marketing
• Family Law and Domestic Violence
• Changes to the Domestic Violence (Family
  Protection) Act 1989
• Child Support Agency
• Family Court of Australia
• Defacto Legislation
• Lesbian, Gay Bisexual Transgender issues in
  relation to Domestic Violence

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CHALLENGES FOR THE CCR

• - Lack of Funding for all components of Model
• - All funded aspects not operational at same
  time
• - Magistrate Court and Police new IT Systems
• - No support/counseling locally for women
• - Lack of follow-up for women
• - No counseling services for children
• - Continuous turnover of police officers

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POSITIVE OUTCOMES

• Significant improvement in Police response
• protocols developed and implemented
• sense of trust between justice systems and
  community organisations
• increase in communication
• reported consistency in Police response
• utilisation of specialised knowledge of
  individual agencies within Wynnum

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Could we change our attitude, we should not only
see life differently, but life itself would come
to be different. Life would undergo a change of
appearance because we ourselves had undergone a
change of attitude. By working together,
supporting people, providing information I
believe that attitudes can be influenced to
create a safer environment for women and
children.
Katherine Mayfield