Victoria’s first ever dedicated family violence prevention agency Respect Victoria has opened. The Prevention of Family Violence Bill 2018 has passed the Upper House, formally establishing the new agency.
As an independent Statutory Authority, Respect Victoria will have the authority to hold both government and communities to account on taking action to prevent violence against women, and to demonstrate how this can be achieved.
The Office of Prevention and Women’s Equality (OPWE) has led the establishment of this new organisation. To reflect the transition of some of the primary prevention work to Respect Victoria, OPWE has been renamed the Office for Women.
The Office for Women’s vision is that all Victorians:
- live in a safe and equal society;
- have access to equal power, resources and opportunities; and
- are treated with dignity, respect and fairness.
The Office of Women will continue to lead on key reforms under Safe and Strong: A Victorian Gender Equality Strategy and Free from violence: Victoria’s strategy to prevent family violence and all forms of violence against women.
(Source: Premiers Media Centre, 1/8/18 & 24/8/18 and Office for Women email 2/8/18)