Pleas for help from young victims of family violence too often go unanswered and many feel invisible, with the support on offer geared towards adults.
That’s the verdict from Safe Steps research based on interviews with victim-survivors in their teens and early 20s, sparking a fresh push for national online support services.
Some victim-survivors aged 16-25 told lead researcher Kate Fitz-Gibbon of how no action was taken when they reported family violence.
Many felt invisible as because they thought help was often targeted towards adults or they only got help once their situation reached “crisis point”.
“Any system that requires children to be at breaking point before acting is not a system that is keeping them safe,” she told AAP.
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“Each ignored report is a child left in harm’s way.
“These failures not only allow risk to go unmanaged, they compound trauma and erode trust in the very systems meant to protect them.”
Those under 18 were at times not able to access help without adult supervision, a major issue if they experienced violence at the hands of a parent.
Others could not find age-appropriate accessible information, and help on offer from schools was often superficial – or just not there.
Excerpts from interviews include young people unaware they had experienced abuse, not being able to find information when googling how to get help or struggling to navigate web pages while in the grip of trauma.
“I didn’t know that I could just call child protection,” one respondent said.
“I didn’t know what was around. I would just hope the police could do something.”
Better family violence training in schools, allowing young victims to access financial and housing support without parent supervision and more information available through social media were among recommendations.
Professor Fitz-Gibbon said many young people highlighted missed opportunities for intervention at school, including hoping teachers might raise the alarm.
“Schools must be better resourced and trained to provide family violence-informed responses and connected with the broader service system to act as trusted, trauma-informed entry points for disclosure and early intervention,” she said.
The research involved in-depth interviews with 20 people who experienced family violence and sought out help in Victoria.
Safe Steps chief executive Chelsea Tobin said on any night, some 43 per cent of people in their crisis accommodation were under 16.
“Children who experience family violence have unique needs, but what this research tells us is that they are repeatedly falling through cracks in a system not designed for them,” Dr Tobin said.
A Victorian government spokesperson said at least 40 per cent of counselling and specialised victim-survivors therapies were provided to young people and last year, 100,000 children were supported through the Orange Door network, which provides wraparound support.
“Every child deserves to grow up safe and free from violence,” they said.
New guidelines to identify and manage family violence safety risks in children are being developed and set to be rolled out in thousands of organisations, including police.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
Men’s Referral Service 1300 766 491
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
https://thewest.com.au/news/crime/adult-centric-systems-failing-young-victims-of-violence-c-20188557
