New Family Violence Research Projects Announced
The CIJ is excited to have been awarded a research grant by Family Safety Victoria to explore the needs of unaccompanied children and young people seeking shelter as a result of family violence.
While many children and young people will flee family violence with a protective parent, those who leave violence on their own terms are often required to seek shelter and survival through a range of sometimes unseen, often unsafe, means.
Without effective intervention, the trajectory for these unaccompanied young people is frequently one of further violence and harm. Yet little is known about their needs and experiences, as well as the type of response and support that would be meaningful for them. Working with our partners Melbourne City Mission, Unsafe & unseen: spotlighting unaccompanied children and young people seeking shelter will engage directly with unaccompanied young people – guided by a group of expert Lived Experience Advisors – to make this cohort of children and young people visible, and to identify appropriate pathways to support.
“Informed by real-world experience and voices of victim survivors, these research projects will bring together universities, communities and the family violence, sexual violence and harm sectors to address evidence gaps and share learning which should inform best practice.”
“The evidence will be used to tailor policies and programs which better support people and help put a stop to family violence in our communities.”