Federal, state and territory governments say they want to end violence against women and children in Australia within “one generation”. 

Representatives have signed on to a new 10-year national strategy designed to coordinate federal and state action to eliminate gender-based violence.

Federal Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth says the new plan will require sustained effort by successive governments over the course years. 

The strategy approved by all state and territory cabinets describes domestic, family, and sexual violence in Australia as a problem of “epidemic proportions”.

Violence against women and children costs the Australian economy about $26 billion each year, researchers say, with victim-survivors themselves bearing around half of that cost.

On average, a woman is killed by an intimate partner around every 10 days in Australia, and intimate partner violence is known to be the leading driver of homelessness and incarceration for women.

“This National Plan is our commitment to a country free of gender-based violence – where all people live free from fear and violence and are safe at home, at work, at school, in the community and online,” the document states. 

“Violence against women and children is not inevitable.

“By addressing the social, cultural, political and economic factors that drive this gendered violence, we can end it in one generation.”

It calls for improvements and increased investment across four key areas - prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery and healing.

The plan says victims should have access to trauma-informed and culturally safe services.

“We must look beyond the crisis response to ensure that women and children who have experienced violence can access support for their recovery and healing – and in doing so, achieve long-term improvements in their health and well-being,” it states.

“They must also be sensitive to the age and circumstance of the victim-survivor and their cultural and religious needs.

“When victim-survivors are not supported to recover, they are at higher risk of being subjected to continued harm, experiencing poorer health and well-being, and being targeted by another perpetrator.”

It also emphasises the need for men and boys to help prevent violence.

“Research shows there are strong links between socially dominant forms and patterns of masculinity, men's sexist attitudes and behaviours, and men's perpetration of violence against women,” the plan states.

“Having conversations with boys about healthy masculinity and self-expression are important steps, as is role modelling healthy relationships, positive masculine expression and respectful ways to be a boy and a man.”

The actual implementation of the plan will be laid out in two yet-to-be-released “five-year action plans” that cover specific “actions and investment” across all four areas.

It is unclear whether the upcoming federal budget will include any extra funding for the plan's objectives, beyond a $1.3 billion boost announced by the former government.

“We are going to deliver our election commitment as a starting point of more frontline workers or booster frontline workers,” Ms Rishworth said.

“We will continue to work through the action plans to look at how we deliver and focus our resources.

“It is about what is the quality of spending, in addition to the quantum.”

Reports say there will also be a standalone plan to address the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children.

“We want to make sure we get the consultations right on that,” Ms Rishworth said.

“One of the strong messages coming up is that the unique experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders must be recognised.”