Our research

According to the 2021-22 Personal Safety Survey, around 1 in 6 women and 1 in 18 men have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence at the hands of a current or previous cohabitating partner since the age of 15. GVRN are committed to producing research and conducting training and consultancy that aims to prevent and respond to domestic and family violence in workplaces, universities, homes and in society broadly.

Spotlight on our research

• Financial Institutional Responses to Economic and Financial Abuse: GVRN has worked with the Commonwealth Bank to develop a series of papers understanding economic and financial abuse. These papers covered the following topics:
• Understanding Economic and Financial Abuse in Intimate Partner Relationships
• Understanding Economic and Financial Abuse in First Nations Communities
• Understanding Economic and Financial Abuse Across Cultural Contexts
• Understanding Economic and Financial Abuse and Disability in the Context of Domestic and Family Violence
• Understanding Economic and Financial Abuse in the Context of Domestic and Family Violence for older people
• Legal responses to economic and financial abuse in the context of intimate partner violence

·       National Audit of Safe at Home Projects and Development of a National Best Practice Framework:  GVRN was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Social Services to undertake a national audit and evaluation of the services funded by the Commonwealth Keeping Women Safe in Their Homes initiative, and the existing Safe at Home responses provided by states and territories. These programs aimed to assist women and their children to remain safely in their home and community, or the home and community of their choice, after leaving a violent relationship. The culmination of this work was the development of the Safe at Home Operational Framework which outlined best practice principles and elements of Safe at Home responses and promoted this be consistently applied across Australian jurisdictions.

According to the 2021-22 Personal Safety Survey, around 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men have experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 15. GVRN is committed to producing high quality research about sexual violence and how to prevent it. The following are some examples of our work on sexual violence prevention and response.

Spotlight on our research

• The development of research and evaluation methodologies for sexual violence prevention in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ+) communities: GVRN was engaged in 2021 by the Commonwealth Department of Social Services to investigate methods for research and evaluation with LGBTQIA+ communities. These research and evaluation methodologies have been subsequently utilised by the Department to inform projects with and for LGBTQIA+ communities including the National LGBTIQA+ Sexual Violence Survey.
• National LGBTIQA+ Sexual Violence Survey: In 2023, GVRN was engaged by the Department of Social Services, with colleagues from UNSW and elsewhere, to conduct the first ever national survey on LGBTQIA+ experiences of sexual violence. This survey is currently underway with a final report due for publication in late 2024. Fill out the survey today here.
• National Standards of Practice Manual for Services Against Sexual Violence (Third Edition): GVRN was engaged in 2021 by the National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence (NASASV) to develop a best practice manual for services working with clients affected by sexual violence. This manual can be found here. 

Preventing and responding to workplace sexual harassment in the NSW public sector: GVRN was engaged by the NSW Public Service Commission to develop content for an Online Sexual Harassment Response Tool for members of the public service to be able to access anonymous and confidential information about sexual harassment at work including support and reporting options. This sexual harassment response tool is called SupportLink and is now in operation.

The term ‘gendered violence’ refers to “harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender. It is rooted in gender inequality, the abuse of power and harmful norms” (See the Stop. Empower. Support. UNSW Gendered Violence Strategy & Action Plan). Gendered violence is a recognition that domestic and family violence, and sexual violence is often perpetrated as a result of the same harmful norms and attitudes. Gendered violence includes behaviour such as sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic and family violence, intimate partner violence, gendered harassment, and dating violence. For definitions of these terms, see pages 38-40 of the Stop. Empower. Support. Strategy.

The following are some examples of our work on gendered violence prevention and response.

Spotlight on our research

• Women and Girls Emergency Centre (WAGEC) All In Evaluation - gender based violence primary prevention approaches into early childhood centres: GVRN was engaged by WAGEC in 2021 to conduct an evaluation of the All In program, whole-of-service program that equips early childhood educators, leaders, centre directors and families with the skills to actively challenge rigid, harmful gender roles and stereotypes. These skills are developed through a series of workshops alongside online support and resources. This evaluation is still underway but you can learn more about the program here.
• Stop, Empower, Support UNSW Gendered Violence Strategy 2022-25: GVRN was engaged in 2021 by UNSW’s Conduct & Integrity Office to draft a gendered violence strategy and action plan aimed at preventing and responding to gendered violence on campus. This strategy and associated actions are currently in implementation. Read through the Strategy here.