The Victorian Coalition Government is providing Women’s Health Victoria with $660,000 to address violence against women and children, Minister for Community Services Mary Wooldridge announced today.

Through the new partnership, Women’s Health Victoria will work with local communities to develop targeted local action plans to prevent violence against women and children. Nine plans will be developed across Victoria, with input from local women’s health services, local governments, sports clubs, community health centres, and businesses.

The action plans will have a strong focus on capacity building and provide consistent, evidence-based and effective approaches to the prevention of violence against women and children.

“Prevention of violence is key to lasting change in the lives and experiences of women and children in our community, and it requires significant change in culture and attitudes,” Ms Wooldridge said.

“Women’s Health Victoria is uniquely positioned to deliver this project because its 20 year track record and expertise with local health services will enable partnerships to drive primary prevention efforts at a grassroots level.”

The project will also deliver tailored practice guides for regional women’s health services; develop a community of practice structure to enable the sharing of best practice; create targeted and diverse strategies to assist women’s health services identify vulnerable groups; deliver toolkits and resources to support regional planning; and conduct two statewide forums that will showcase and share best practice among local providers.

Project partners also include the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health and Women with Disabilities Victoria.

The additional funding is part of the Coalition Government’s commitment to preventing violence before it starts, through Victoria’s Action Plan to Address Violence Against Women and Children 2012-2015. Since coming to government the Coalition has increased total spending to prevent and respond to family violence, with more than $100 million allocated in
2014-15 through the Action Plan.

The Napthine Government has also extended its commitment to the national Foundation to Prevent Violence Against Women and their Children, bringing total funding to the Foundation to $6.4 million since its establishment in July 2013.