Y-Change and Melbourne City Mission’s joint response centres young victim survivors of family violence

Y-Change and Melbourne City Mission (MCM) recently welcomed the opportunity to provide feedback on the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022 – 2032 (Draft Plan) and commend the Australian Government on maintaining this important focus.

The increased focus on preventing and responding to gender-based violence across Australia is strongly welcomed, however despite this focus, young people who are experiencing family violence have been overlooked by the Draft Plan.

Our response highlights the importance of recognising children and young people not just as extensions of their parents or caregivers, or ‘secondary victims’ of family violence, but as victim survivors in their own right.

Impacts of family violence on young people

Family violence against young people is prevalent in Australia. The Crime Statistics Agency in Victoria reports that in 2020, 14,942 Affected Family Members in a police family incident were aged 15-24. However, family violence amongst young people is under-reported, and the actual figure is likely to be much higher.

The impacts of family violence on young people are immense. Young people experiencing family violence have an increased risk of suicide attempts, mental illness, eating disorders, teenage pregnancy, early school leaving and use of violence. They experience disrupted schooling and consequent harm to chances of getting and keeping a job, difficulty making and keeping friends due to the stress and shame of trying to keep the violence secret, and the disruption of moving houses and schools to escape. Young people who experience violence are also more highly represented in the justice system, mental health system and in homelessness services.

If the development of a youth-specific approach is not prioritised, young people will continue to fall through the cracks. Without proper support, young victim survivors of family violence are more likely to end up in the justice system, become further victimised by family violence or go on to perpetrate family violence themselves, compromising the potential of family violence reform.

Read our joint response to the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022

About MCM

Melbourne City Mission (MCM) is a community service organisation that provides a range of supports to people who are experiencing different forms of disadvantage across Victoria. MCM has more than 80 programs that span multiple service systems, including homelessness, disability, early childhood intervention, education and care, health (home-based palliative care), mental health, and education and training.

About Y-Change

Berry Street’s Y-Change initiative is a social and systemic change platform for young people aged 18 to 30 with lived experiences of socioeconomic and systemic disadvantage. As Lived Experience Consultants, the team works to challenge the thinking and practices of social systems through advocacy and leadership.