Femicide is pervasive in white hetero-patriarchy. Across Australia, we know women are murdered by their male partners very week. This is the reality of our work.

It requires us, as practitioners and organisations, to learn more about systems’ gaps, the processes and practices that do not serve the safety of victims or the accountability of the perpetrator. Examining our community and systemic responses is critical in determining primary risk factors and, identifying possible points of intervention, that could assist with the prevention of domestic violence homicides.

This presentation will explore our theories and assumptions about domestic and family violence homicide to strengthen our responses to men’s abuse and murder of women. Drawing on the work of Professor Jane Monckton-Smith and her development of her 8-stage homicide timeline, we will offer a set up for exploring this work. We will unpack stories of domestic violence homicide as a way of learning about what we, as workers and advocates who make up systems of entrapment can do better.

Key Learnings:

1. To learn more effective ways to intervene at critical moments which may prevent yet another woman being murdered by a current or former male partner.

2. To grow and deepen our collective capacities to hold risk, refine our risk assessment and management practices, and truly partner with victims/survivors in working towards safety and freedom.

3. To work with dignity and accountability with perpetrators and each other as integrated partners.