Advocacy and Research

Safe Steps has a long and proud history of advocating for social change and policy reform. Our advocacy and research are informed by the lived experiences of women and children impacted by family and domestic violence and seeks to ensure that their voices are at the heart of all relevant policy reforms. Based on sound evidence and guided by the voices of those with lived experience, our goal is to influence government policy and community attitudes and position Safe Steps as a thought leader in the fields of family and domestic violence and gender equality.

Our advocacy and research:

• Clearly articulates the needs and experiences of individuals and families accessing our service.
• Shines a light on the complex social structures that stand in the way of victim survivor’s safety and independence.
• Is evidence-based and draws upon the best available local, national, and international research and data.

Our policy submissions

• Safe Steps Federal Pre-budget Submission 2025-26 | View PDF
• Safe Steps submission to Inquiry into Family Violence Orders Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs (2024) | View PDF
• Safe Steps submission to “Strong Foundations”, the next stage of Victoria’s work to end family violence (2024) | View PDF
• Safe Steps Feedback on Consultation Draft NPEVAWC (2022) | View PDF
• Submission prepared by Safe Steps for the National Action Plan (2020) | View PDF
• Submission prepared by Safe Steps for the Joint Select Committee Inquiry into Australia’s Family Law System (January 2020) | View PDF

Our research

• Towards a wraparound housing model for young people experiencing and escaping family violence Partnering with Dr Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Sequre Consulting. Read more.
• The ACCESS Project: Crisis accommodation for children and young people seeking safety Partnering with Associate Professor Georgina Sutherland, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne. Read more.
• Women and children without permanent residency experiencing family violence. Published by Safe Steps, November 2019. Read more.

Safe Steps is proud to work closely with a small group of dedicated victim-survivors of family and domestic violence as our Lived Experience Advisory Committee.
They bring a wealth of diverse experience that informs our decision-making about service design and ways of working. We’re incredibly grateful for their passion for making a difference to others who experience domestic and family violence.