Ending Sexual Violence Hub
Family Violence Crisis Response
A victim survivor who has recently experienced family violence can self-refer to any family violence service.
Family violence services work directly with victim survivors and offer case management support that includes safety planning, risk mitigation and supporting victim survivors to access other appropriate services.
This map also highlights points of intersection where sexual violence risk may be assessed. Please see here for secondary consults and referral pathways.
At all points within this map, informed consent is sought from the victim survivor.
Self-referral
Victim survivor calls or presents to family violence service (FVS)
Someone experiencing family violence can self-refer to a family violence service.
Some ways that a victim survivor may reach out for support are:
- Calling or presenting to The Orange Door.
- Calling Safe Steps on 1800 015 188 (operates 24/7)
- Calling or presenting to a local family violence service.
You can use Safe & Equal’s service directory to find a local service.
FVS completes MARAM Risk Assessment
The Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM) ensures that services are effectively identifying, assessing and managing family violence risk.
At this point, the family violence service will assess whether a crisis response is required and the victim survivor needs to be placed in emergency accommodation.
Potential to identify sexual assault
While conducting a MARAM risk assessment, sexual violence is a serious indicator of heightened risk of family violence lethality. Utilise the MARAM Framework to identify additional safety considerations for a victim survivor who has disclosed a sexual assault.
If the sexual assault has occured recently, contact your local specialist sexual assault service for a secondary consult.
Crisis response not required
Victim survivor is supported by FVS
This support will include risk management, safety planning and support to address immediate needs.
This support could be provided by a local family violence service or The Orange Door.
Referred to local family violence service (LFVS) for ongoing case management
Once immediate risk and needs have been assessed and/or addressed, a victim survivor can be referred for ongoing case management support.
Crisis response required
FVS works with victim survivor to create risk management plan
A family violence service will create a risk management and case plan, focusing on mitigating risk and maximising safety.
Victim survivor may choose to enter emergency accommodation
Once a MARAM risk assessment has been completed, the assessment can support identification of risk that may require an emergency accommodation response for a victim survivor.
Potential to identify sexual assault
While conducting a MARAM risk assessment, sexual violence is a serious indicator of heightened risk of family violence lethality. Utilise the MARAM Framework to identify additional safety considerations for a victim survivor who has disclosed a sexual assault.
If the sexual assault has occurred recently, contact your local specialist sexual assault service for a secondary consult.
Crisis mitigated
Referred to LFVS for case management
Once immediate risk and needs have been assessed and/or addressed, a victim survivor can be referred for ongoing case management support.
Victim survivor requires refuge
Referred to refuge
Once a MARAM risk assessment has been completed, the assessment can support identification of risk that may require a refuge response for a victim survivor.
LFVS accepts referral and victim survivor is allocated to a case manager
Case management support includes:
- Ongoing review and update of MARAM risk assessment.
- Ongoing development of safety plan.
- Development of case plan that covers a range of areas, such as housing, health and wellbeing, legal, financial, education/employment.
- Advocacy with intersecting systems, and explore referrals for additional support.
Potential to identify sexual violence risk
While conducting a MARAM risk assessment, sexual violence is a serious indicator of heightened risk of family violence lethality. Utilise the MARAM Framework to identify additional safety considerations for a victim survivor who has disclosed a sexual assault.
If the sexual assault has occurred recently, contact your local specialist sexual assault service for a secondary consult.
Victim survivor enters refuge
Refuges are part of a network of local service providers that offer a short-term safety and support response in a supported accommodation setting. A referral to refuge should be considered for victim survivors and their children who are at high risk of injury or death due to family violence.
Victim survivor receives refuge response
Refuges are part of a network of local service providers that offer a short-term safety and support response in a supported accommodation setting.
Following the short-term safety and support response for a victim survivor, refuge practitioners can identify any further supports including referral to a local family violence service for ongoing case management.
Potential to identify sexual assault
While conducting a MARAM risk assessment, sexual violence is a serious indicator of heightened risk of family violence lethality. Utilise the MARAM Framework to identify additional safety considerations for a victim survivor who has disclosed a sexual assault.
If the sexual assault has occurred recently, contact your local specialist sexual assault service for a secondary consult.
For the best user experience of our family violence crisis response pathway, we recommend you use a desktop or wide screen monitor to view this page. Click the image below to download a PDF of the pathway.
To keep up to date with SASVic’s work, sign up to our informative fortnightly member update
