Outcome one: Domestic, family and sexual violence is prevented and not tolerated

The Department of Education is committed to promoting healthy and respectful relationships for all children and young people.

The Department’s Student Wellbeing and Positive Behaviour Policy, which aligns with the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework, requires all NT Government schools to develop and implement a whole-school approach to student wellbeing and positive behaviour. The NT’s Social and Emotional Learning Package builds on the whole-school approach by providing students with the necessary skills to develop and sustain healthy and respectful relationships.

The Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities (the Department) delivers training to educate the community in how to identify domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) and how to assess and manage the risk of domestic, family and sexual violence occurring.

The free risk assessment and management training is available in Darwin, Katherine, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy and is tailored to the level of knowledge and skills of participants, with two distinct modules. Module one provides foundational information and module two is designed for specialist workers with a comprehensive understanding of DFSV.

The first round of free risk assessment and management training was delivered in February and March 2021, with over 250 participants attending the workshops. Additional workshops are being scheduled for later in 2021 (dates to be confirmed and will be published on the Department’s website).

The Department funds Dawn House in Darwin and Women’s Safety Service of Central Australia in Alice Springs to deliver free Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Fundamentals training in Darwin, Nhulunbuy, Katherine, Alice Springs and Yuendumu. The Department delivers DFV Fundamentals training in Tennant Creek.

On track / ongoing

At risk

Department of Education

Schools are responsible for teaching the Health and Physical Education Curriculum, which aims to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to enable students to: advocate for their own and others wellbeing and safety, gain a sense of personal identity and build and manage respectful relationships.

Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities

The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Framework and Priority Actions were released in July 2020.

The Framework was developed following consultation with Aboriginal women and men within government; Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations; specialist sexual assault government and non-government agencies; and specialist domestic and family violence service providers and networks in Darwin, Katherine, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy. A public ‘Have your Say’ online campaign was also conducted, with 32 submissions received.

Northern Territory Government agencies have agreed to the Priority Actions they will implement and an implementation plan is being developed.

In 2020-21, the Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities provided $300,000 to the Department of Health to deliver training for frontline workers responding to disclosures of sexual violence from children, young people and adults, and responding to children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours.

The training is delivered through the Department of Health Sexual Assault Referral Centres and is available to government and non-government frontline workers in Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy and Alice Springs.

Sexual violence prevention and response

1.2b)

Develop and implement a Gender Equality Framework ensuring that the essential actions to reduce the gendered drivers of violence against women are addressed.

Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities

The Northern Territory Gender Equality Statement of Commitment was released in July 2020. It focuses on five key areas to improve gender equality: community engagement; health and wellbeing; safety; economic security; and leadership and participation.

The Gender Equality Statement of Commitment was developed following consultations with over 300 women, men and gender diverse people across the Northern Territory. These consultations provided a better understanding of how gender-based inequality affects the lives of women, children, men and gender-diverse people and helped determine the priority focus areas for the Statement of Commitment.

The Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities is commencing consultations with Northern Territory Government agencies from April 2021 on the development of the Gender Equality Statement of Commitment First Action Plan 2021-2023.

On track / ongoing

1.2c)

Build a community of prevention practice and ensure that the supporting actions to address reinforcing factors are incorporated into the Gender Equality Framework as outlined in Our Watch Change the Story publication.

Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities

The Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities is exploring options to build a community of prevention practice in the Northern Territory, including linkages with the Our Watch prevention community.

1.2d)

Develop a policy addressing sexual and gender diversity in schools.

Department of Education

The Department of Education is developing guidelines addressing gender and sexual diversity in schools.

Consultation commenced in Term 3, 2020 with the guidelines anticipated to be released to schools later in 2021.

On track / ongoing

Support localised initiatives to promote respectful relationships including the establishment of a prevention grants program in 2018-2019 to support community and evidence based-prevention activities.

Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities

The Safe, respected and free from violence prevention grants program was established in 2018 and since that time, 28 violence prevention projects across the Northern Territory have been supported.

The grants are available annually, with the total grant pool increased from $300,000 to $1 million per year in 2019. Grants up to $150,000 are available to local organisations to develop and undertake primary or secondary prevention activities across the Territory.

Projects funded under the grant program include community-developed projects, social media campaigns, workshops, focus groups, pilot programs and informational resources targeted at community members and young people.

Flexibility in the management of the grants program has enabled grant recipients to modify delivery of their prevention program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visit the Safe, respected and free from violence grant page for information on how to apply for a grant.

Engage and work with leaders from community, religious, sporting, industry and business backgrounds to develop targeted ways in which they can:

• Challenge condoning of violence against women.
• Promote women’s independence and decision-making.
• Challenge gender stereotypes and roles.
• Strengthen positive, equal and respectful relationships.

The Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities (the Department) engages with, and funds, sporting and religious organisations including through the International Women’s Day Grants; Gender Equality General Grants and sponsorships; and the Safe, respected and free from violence prevention grant funding programs.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global movement born out of women’s struggle for better working conditions and the right to vote. Celebrated on 8 March each year, it is an opportunity to celebrate change, including challenging gender stereotypes and roles.

The Department contributes annual funding of $4,000 to the United Nations of Australia Northern Territory for the IWD march in Darwin and $3,000 to the Barkly Regional Council for the IWD march in Tennant Creek each year.

In addition, the Department offers grants of up to $3,000 from a total annual funding pool of $40,400 for organisations and individuals for a wide variety of projects aimed at celebrating IWD and promoting women’s independence and decision-making.

Information about how to apply for an IWD grant can be found on the Department’s website.

The Department offers Gender Equality General Grants twice per year, with up to $5,000 available for projects aimed at addressing gender inequality and challenging gender stereotypes and roles.

The Safe, respected and free from violence prevention grants program was established in 2018 and since that time, 28 violence prevention projects across the Northern Territory have been supported.

The grants are available annually, with up to $150,000 available per applicant from a total grant pool of $1 million.

Initiatives funded under this grant program include the:

• Mums Can, Dads Can project, which delivers education workshops aimed at improving understanding of the impact of domestic, family and sexual violence and challenging gender stereotypes (Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation);
• Challenging Attitudes, Preventing Violence project which aims to create a film clip to challenge stereotypical behaviours that condone violence (National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect); and
• Strengths in Conversations: Respectful Relationships and the Law Training Program – a comprehensive training program for service providers who work with culturally and linguistically diverse communities (Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission).

Visit the Safe, respected and free from violence grant page for information on how to apply for a grant.

Community engagement

Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities

The Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities continues to partner and support initiatives aimed at strengthening positive and respectful relations including through ongoing funding of $367,317 per year for the No More campaign and through the $1 million per year Safe, respected and free from violence prevention grants.

The No More campaign supports and resources Aboriginal men in remote Northern Territory communities who take action against family violence.

The Safe, respected and free from violence grants are available annually, with up to $150,000 available per project. Initiatives funded under this grant program include the expansion in 2020 of the Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation Mums Can Dads Can project to the Girls Can Boys Can project. The Girls Can Boys Can project is jointly delivered by Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation and the Larapinta Child and Family Centre and will prioritise the voices of children and expand the Mums Can Dads Can primary prevention project into the early childhood space.

Visit the Safe, respected and free from violence grant page for information on how to apply for a grant.

Prevention

Community engagement

Department of Health

NT Health is represented at the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Cross Agency Working Group and continues to take a proactive collaborative approach to strategic policy development and implementation across government.

NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services

The NT Police Force Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Strategy has the key priorities of:

• effective prevention, reduction and response; and
• local partnerships to promote positive change.

Achieved milestones include:

• Multi-Agency Child Abuse Taskforce Protocol has been completed, bringing together NT Police; and the Departments of Territory Families, Housing and Communities; Health; and Education to ensure a consistent, professional response inclusive of joint investigations for criminal offences committed upon a child or for children who are identified at risk; and
• Family Safety Framework cross-agency Memorandum of Understanding and Operational Guidelines are being developed.

Department of the Attorney-General and Justice

The Department of the Attorney-General and Justice collaborates with relevant agencies in implementing initiatives and policies on domestic and family violence.

Department of Education

The Department of Education continues to collaborate with NT Government agencies via the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Cross Agency Working Group and the newly established Multi Agency Community and Child Safety Taskforce.

Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities

The Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities continues to collaborate with other government departments and non-government organisations including through leading the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Cross Agency Working Group and in across-government project development activities, such as the Domestic and Family Violence Risk Assessment and Management Framework, Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Framework and the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Workforce and Sector Development Plan.

In May 2020, the Department established the Multi-Agency Community and Child Safety Framework which forms a key part of the Northern Territory Government’s commitment to strengthen governance and accountability of the collaborative safety work undertaken within and across communities.

The Multi-Agency Community and Child Safety Framework brings together community members with cultural authority, locally based heads of government agencies and non-government organisations to identify community issues, create action plans and carry out actions together to improve safety outcomes for children and families.

There has been progress to date aligning domestic, family and sexual violence with alcohol and other drugs policy.

The NT Health Sexual Violence Working Group is progressing work in relation to the development and review of NT Health policies and resources relating to sexual violence.

Work to align domestic, family and sexual violence with child safety initiatives is ongoing.

The Department of Health is developing Child Safe Organisation principles for implementation across NT Health.

Top End Health Service is updating clinical resources for all staff to support responses to child sexual abuse including the following:

• toolkit for managing child sexual abuse;
• guidelines for the management of sexual health issues in children and young people; and
• reporting child sexual harm flowchart.

The Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities plans to prepare and publish an annual snapshot of available domestic, family and sexual violence data.

This action will carry over into Action Plan 2.