The Andrews Labor Government is bringing together experts from a range of professions to better deal with the worst cases of family violence – saving lives and making Victoria safer.
More than 460 high risk cases of family violence have been managed by Risk Assessment and Management Panels (RAMPs) since the state-wide roll out started last year.
RAMPs bring together professionals from specialist women’s family violence services, Victoria Police, Corrections Victoria, housing, mental health, alcohol and drug services, men’s family violence services, Child FIRST and child protection.
These experts meet regularly to share critical information about specific cases of women and their children at serious and imminent threat from family violence, and develop co-ordinated plans to protect them.
In one example, local agencies were convened to help protect a woman and her children ahead of the release of her former partner from prison. The man had been incarcerated for breaching an intervention order, making threats, and stalking.
The RAMP developed a tightly managed safety plan for the family which included police drive-bys at the school, kindergarten and home. Child FIRST and the specialist family violence service met with the school and kindergarten to work together to develop comprehensive safety plans for the children.
Local police stations in the area were also notified of his pending release date and were directed to respond quickly to the family if needed.
Relationships developed between local police, family violence services and child protection are also protecting women and children outside the RAMP process, as these professionals forge stronger relationships.
The implementation of RAMPs was a recommendation of both the coronial inquest into the death of Luke Batty and the Royal Commission into Family Violence.
A record $1.9 billion package of measures to end family violence in Victoria was announced in the Victorian Budget 2017-18. This funding will be used to establish 17 support and safety hubs across the state, deliver after-hours crisis support, counselling and therapy for victims of family violence, and develop a 10-year industry plan.
The Government also recently announced the creation of Family Safety Victoria, the state’s first ever agency solely dedicated to delivering family violence reform.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos
“The safety, security and wellbeing of women and children is our Government’s number one priority.”
“The establishment of RAMPs is saving lives by ensuring a more coordinated, multi-agency response to protect victims of family violence.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020