Stories of the specialist DFV sector

Project currently in development  

Safety Measures was established to help tell an evidence-driven story about specialist domestic and family violence service need, accessibility and effectiveness in Australia. 

Stories of the specialist DFV sector is a qualitative research project to deepen understanding of specialist domestic and family violence (DFV) services from the perspectives of the people who deliver and access them. The project is currently in the design and ethics review stage and is anticipated to commence in late 2026. 

While service data can help us understand patterns of service demand and capacity, it cannot tell the whole story. This project aims to complement Safety Measures' quantitative and systems-focused work by exploring the experiences, insights and knowledge of practitioners, victim survivors and communities.  

The project will bring together people working in specialist DFV services and people with lived experience of engaging with those services across the Northern Territory, South Australia and Victoria. Through interviews, focus groups and creative storytelling approaches, participants will be invited to share their perspectives on what shapes service demand, what helps or hinders access to support, and what meaningful impact looks like in practice.  

A key feature is the use of participatory and creative methods, including workshops that may use photography, storytelling and other reflective approaches to explore experiences that are not always captured through traditional research methods. 

This project is being designed in partnership with Safety Measures partners and advisory groups, including Aboriginal community-controlled organisations and people with lived experience. It is informed by principles of collaboration, Indigenous leadership, participant choice and collective sense-making. 

Stories of the specialist DFV sector will contribute new evidence about the strengths, challenges and realities of specialist DFV service delivery, helping to inform future policy, funding, service improvement and system reform. Findings will be shared through a range of publications, resources and creative knowledge-sharing activities in 2027.