quick-escape

Feeling unsafe? Find support services   emergency? call 000

Research

Our research

Violence against women and children affects everybody. It impacts on the health, wellbeing and safety of a significant proportion of Australians throughout all states and territories and places an enormous burden on the nation’s economy across family and community services, health and hospitals, income-support and criminal justice systems.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

News and events

ANROWS hosts events as part of its knowledge transfer and exchange work, including public lectures, workshops and research launches. Details of upcoming ANROWS activities and news are available from the list on the right.

ANROWS

About ANROWS

ANROWS was established by the Commonwealth and all state and territory governments of Australia to produce, disseminate and assist in applying evidence for policy and practice addressing violence against women and children.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Resources

To support the take-up of evidence, ANROWS offers a range of resources developed from research to support practitioners and policy-makers in delivering evidence-based interventions.


SUMMARY REPORT

Towards meaningful engagement: Key findings for survivor co-production of public policy on gender-based violence

Survivors with lived experience of gender-based violence are increasingly asking to be involved in developing and reforming public policy, and governments are beginning to engage survivors in co-production efforts.

For example, the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032 centres lived expertise. It opens with a dedication to, and statement from, victims and survivors, alongside the message that “No meaningful solutions can be made about us without us.”

However, the role of survivors in the co-production of policy is under-researched, as are the public value and the risks. This new report contributes to addressing those research gaps. It provides crucial evidence to support the implementation of the National Plan’s opening imperative.

Findings from the report generated five key recommendations for policymakers:

  1. Independence in co-production:
    • Support and encourage survivors’ independence.
    • Engage survivor networks respecting their autonomy.
  2. Funding for survivor networks:
    • Contribute funding to independent survivor networks.
    • Provide training and ongoing support for co-production.
  3. Prioritise marginalised communities:
    • Prioritise co-production with survivors from marginalised communities.
    • Establish survivor networks and tailor mechanisms to their needs.
  4. Training and support for survivors:
    • Develop induction and training for survivors in policy and co-production.
    • Provide trauma-aware support and utilise existing networks.
  5. Policymaker training:
    • Ensure policymakers are trained in co-production benefits.
    • Encourage risk taking and power sharing.
    • Provide training in trauma-aware practice and ongoing mental health support.

 

Publication details

This work is part of the ANROWS Research reports series. ANROWS Research reports are in-depth reports on empirical research produced under ANROWS’s research program.

DR LISA WHEILDON 
Monash University


Suggested citation

Wheildon, L., & Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety. (2023). Towards meaningful engagement: Key findings for survivor co-production of public policy on gender-based violence (ANROWS Insights, 05/2023). ANROWS.

find out more

Contact ANROWS

PO Box Q389, Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230
Email: [email protected]      

Subscribe to our newsletter

Back to top