The Commonwealth, state and territory governments have today released the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children (2022-2032).

The release of the National Plan, the culmination of two year of extensive consultation with a diverse range of experts and people with lived experience, has set forth a comprehensive statement to end gender-based violence in one generation.

Full Stop Australia Chief Executive Officer, Hayley Foster, said that this is an ambitious strategy, but that violence against women and children is not inevitable, and that by addressing gender inequality and other forms of discrimination and inequality the National Plan is achievable.

“The epidemic of violence against women in this country is a national crisis. We now have the opportunity to stem the flow, turn the tide and ensure that our next generation of women and girls live their lives free from violence,” Ms Foster said.

“It is a comprehensive statement of the state of gender-based violence in this country and what is needed to address it.”

“Importantly, unlike the first Plan, it commits to action to address victim-survivor recovery and healing and to action holding people using violence and abuse to account in all settings.”

The National Plan seeks to stop the violence before it starts, underpinned by six principles:

• • advancing gender equality
  • working with victim-survivors to develop policies and solutions
  • Closing the Gap
  • person-centred co-ordination and integration
  • intersectionality
  • people who choose to use violence are held accountable.

The National Plan recognises the critical role that all parts of society, including business and industry, schools and universities, media, sporting clubs and faith-based organisations need to play, working together, to end gender-based violence.

It recognises that structural change is needed to improve access to housing and income support for people impacted by violence, and to improve our legal systems.

The National Plan is also integrated with other National Plans and Strategies to ensure policy settings are pulling the same direction.

Ms Foster will be attending the launch of the National Plan in Melbourne today, alongside other colleagues on the National Plan Advisory Group and Minister Gallagher and Minister Rishworth.

“The aim of the Plan to end gender-based violence in one generation is an ambitious one, but we should not tolerate any less,” Ms Foster said.

“Just one person being subjected to violence and abuse is too many. Nevertheless, if we want to ensure we have a chance of achieving this, we need to put numbers to specific, measurable targets in our 5-year Action Plans, and we need to commit to the funding needed to address this crisis, once and for all.”

“A life free from violence is possible.”