When parents kill their children: Seeing and acting on patterns of intimate partner violence and child abuse

Disclaimer: ANROWS webinars bring together a diverse range of speakers on a particular topic, informed by the evidence base, lived expertise, and policy and practice knowledge. The views expressed by speakers or other third parties in ANROWS webinars and any subsequent materials are those of the speaker or third party and not, necessarily, of ANROWS.

Join ANROWS and the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network (ADFVDRN) on Monday 15 July for an event unpacking the findings of the latest report produced from our partnership, Filicides in a domestic and family violence context 2010–2018.

This report presents the first national figures on parents who have killed their children (filicide) in Australia in the context of domestic and family violence – that is, where it was identified that prior to the filicide, there was a history of either intimate partner violence, child abuse, or both. Despite a decline in other forms of domestic homicide, rates of filicide have remained constant, with around 20 cases each year.

This report found that 9 in 10 of the cases examined, there was a history of intimate partner violence. This is an important finding calling for immediate whole-of-society responses.

At this event, Dr Holly Blackmore (ANROWS, report author) and Anna Butler (Chair, ADFVDRN) will provide an overview of the key findings and implications. Dr Ann O’Neill AO – survivor, clinician and researcher – will speak to the significance of the report and its findings, before being joined by a panel facilitated by Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon (Monash University, leading scholar on violence against women), featuring:

• Professor Kyllie Cripps (Monash University, leading researcher on child abuse and Indigenous family violence)
• Biljana Milosevic (Director, Jannawi Family Centre)
• Emeritus Professor Thea Brown, AM (Monash University, leading researcher on filicide)
• Professor Daryl Higgins (Australian Catholic University, one of the chief investigators, Australian Child Maltreatment Study)

There are two options to join this event.

Click here to register for the in-person event at the Wheeler Centre (Melbourne), 10am-12pm (registration and refreshments from 9:30am, and morning tea to follow at 11:30am).

Click here to register for the livestream, to be broadcast from 10am-11:30am.

The event will be recorded and made available on the ANROWS website. It will be of interest to anyone working to inform policy and practice related to domestic and family violence, especially in the context of child-centred approaches to prevention and early intervention.

Speakers

Dr Holly Blackmore 

Dr Holly Blackmore is an experienced researcher who focuses on domestic, family and sexual violence, femicide, and filicide. Holly is the Research Manager, Death Review at ANROWS, where she has worked for several years across multiple research projects. At ANROWS, Holly currently leads a program of research on domestic and family violence-related deaths and works in partnership with the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network. Previously, Holly spent a decade working in research at the Faculty of Law and Justice at the University of New South Wales. Holly holds a PhD and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons. Criminology).

Anna Butler 

Anna Butler is the Chair of the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network and Manager of the Domestic Violence Death Review Team, NSW Department of Communities and Justice. Anna commenced her work as the inaugural Manager of the Domestic Violence Death Review Team (DVDRT) in 2011 and has been responsible for developing and implementing the Team’s executive function, operational framework and domestic violence reform agenda. Anna has over 15 years experience in the development of policy and legislation across a number of justice portfolios. She has qualifications in science and law and has previously held roles as the Executive Officer of the NSW DNA Review Panel and the Executive Officer of the NSW Sentencing Council. Anna is one of the founding members and current Chair of the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network.

Dr Ann O’Neill 

Dr Ann O’Neill is considered an inspiration by many. Her story of triumph over severe hardship and her commitment to improving the lives of others by sharing her wisdom, be it attained via academic, practice or personal means, is matched by few.  Ann delivers funny, engaging and well-structured engaging presentations that will not only inspire but educate people, equipping them with knowledge, tools and strategies to overcome and thrive personally and professionally.

Ann fills a variety of positions, government, non-government and commercial which see her active in advisory, teaching, research, supervisory, and clinical roles. Ann has an innate ability to engage with any audience in various formats and her intelligent presentations are a potent mix of humour, experience, frankness and meaningful information.

Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon 

Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon is a leading violence against women scholar. Kate is a Professor (Practice) with the Faculty of Business and Economics at Monash University and an Honorary Professorial Fellow with the Melbourne Law School at University of Melbourne. In 2024 Kate established Sequre Consulting, and is the principal consultant. Kate researches in the area of domestic and family violence, femicide, responses to all forms of violence against women and children, perpetrator interventions, and the impacts of policy and practice reform in Australia and internationally. Kate has advised on homicide law reform and family violence reviews in Australia and internationally. Her research has been cited by the High Court of Australia. In 2021 Kate was appointed Chair of Respect Victoria by the Victorian Government.

Professor Kyllie Cripps 

Professor Kyllie Cripps is Director of Monash’s Indigenous Studies Centre. Kyllie is a Palawa woman and has worked extensively over the past 20 years with Indigenous communities in the areas of family violence, sexual assault and child abuse. She has contributed to the evidence base through empirical studies that have defined violence on Indigenous terms, identified the factors contributing to violence, and examined Indigenous peoples’ access and availability to services in the aftermath of violence. Her work has also been responsive to providing solutions to support policy and practice change. Kyllie places a high priority on knowledge exchange, ensuring that her research is communicated to state and federal governments, but more critically that the research is available and accessible to Indigenous communities. To that end she routinely provides advice, support and training to communities and professional groups in her areas of expertise.

Biljana Milosevic 

Biljana Milosevic is a bi-cultural Social Worker and the Director of Jannawi Family Centre in Sydney. Jannawi is a Dharug word meaning “with me, with you”. The unique child and family safety service works with people living with family violence, abuse and neglect, including sexual harm. It offers a range of therapeutic interventions aimed to create safety and meaningful change. Biljana has over 23 years of experience in preventing violence and promoting family safety.

Emeritus Professor Thea Brown, AM 

Professor Emeritus Thea Brown, AM, Department of Social Work, Monash University, is a researcher and activist in family violence affecting children.  She led the Family Court and Family Violence team in several studies exploring the way the family law service system managed family violence to children, that led to the Magellan Program, the Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) 2013 and Child Abuse and Family Law published with Dr Renata Alexander. Professor Brown then formed the Monash Deakin Filicide Research Hub with Associate Professor Danielle Tyson and Dr. Paula Fernandez Arias, which undertook two state studies, one national study and an international conference series on filicide, from which was published “When Parents Kill Children” and other articles.  The Hub’s third study, undertaken with the Coroner’s Court of Victoria, is finished and articles from that are awaiting clearance from the Court.

Professor Daryl Higgins 

Professor Daryl Higgins is Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies at Australian Catholic University. A registered psychologist, he has been researching child abuse prevalence, impacts and prevention for over 30 years. He is one of the chief investigators of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. He has an extensive publishing record of articles, papers and reports that have made a significant impact on policy related to child maltreatment, both in Australia and internationally.