A new national training initiative is underway to equip family law legal practitioners with the skills to identify and respond to coercive control behaviours in family law matters and to help prevent the family law system being used as a further tool for abuse.
A consortium comprising National Legal Aid, Women’s Legal Services Australia, and First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence is excited to announce receipt of funding from the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department to develop this important training.
Once developed, the training will be made available to legal practitioners across Australia, with a focus on those working in family law. Training development will be led by Women’s Legal Services Victoria.
The consortium will draw on existing expertise and jurisdictional resources to ensure the training has wide accessibility and practical relevance. A trauma-informed and culturally responsive approach will be central to the training’s development. Extensive consultation—including with people with lived experience of domestic and family violence and the family violence sector — will guide the design and delivery of content, which will also be piloted prior to broader rollout.
This initiative represents a significant step toward improving legal responses to coercive control and supporting the safety and wellbeing of families navigating the family law system.
You can download the statement below.