The Andrews Labor Government is working to end the scourge of family violence and violence against women with a new package of more than $6.3 million in funding for prevention partnerships.

Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Natalie Hutchins today announced details of the Free from Violence Fund, which will support creative and innovative family violence prevention activities.

The $1.75 million fund will support community groups to trial and evaluate new approaches to violence prevention. This will generate a better understanding of what works to prevent violence across different settings and contexts.

Innovative ideas may include programs not yet tested in Victoria, partnerships with those outside the prevention sector, or significant improvements to existing prevention models.

Successful projects will receive grants of up to $100,000, with applications opening in March.

The Labor Government has also renewed support for national initiatives to prevent violence against women with funding for Our Watch and Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS).

OurWatch is the national organisation working to prevent violence against women and their children. It was established in 2013 to drive nationwide change in the culture, behaviours and power imbalances that lead to violence.

Today’s renewed funding of $3.3 million will help OurWatch to continue their important work.

The Government has also funded $1.27 million in funding over three years to ANROWS who deliver national research to inform policy and practice to reduce violence against women and their children.

These partnerships and the new Free from Violence Fund are key activities under the First Action Plan of Free from violence: Victoria’s strategy to prevent family violence and all forms of violence against women.

This is part of our $1.9 billion commitment to tackle the scourge of family violence in our community – more than any other state or federal government in the country.

For more information on the strategy, visit https://www.vic.gov.au/familyviolence

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Natalie Hutchins

“Our prevention of family violence campaign has already reached over 1 in 4 Victorians and the new fund will extend the campaign to more workplaces, sporting clubs and throughout the community.”

“If we’re going to stop family violence and violence against women before it starts, we need to have the very latest research and policy – and that’s exactly what this funding will support.”