Partnership, Commitment and Collaborative Practice - The Co-Location Pilot Project (Fairfield Site).

It is no surprise to any of us working in the DFV sector that Victims of domestic and family violence can face many challenges when deciding whether or not to report abuse to Police. These challenges can be many including; personal (eg. guilt, shame), fear (eg. repercussions, loss, being believed) or they can be tangible barriers to seeking help (eg. language, understanding, capacity). Whatever the reasons that prevent people from disclosing their fears and concerns for safety we know that there needs to be a more inviting and supportive pathway that encourages victims to come forward. This specific issue was highlighted by the NSW Death Review Team in their 2017-2019 Report. One of the recommendations made by them was the co-location of a specialist domestic violence worker within a Police Station to improve the response to domestic and family violence victims wanting to report to Police, and so, the NSW Police Force – WDVCAS Co-Location Pilot Project was born. This Project has 5 trial locations of which Fairfield is one.

As a significantly multicultural community and low socio-economic area the insights which can be shared from this project site are significant because they also highlight the additional layers of difficulty experienced by those seeking to report from CALD communities and where many residents have experienced high rates of homelessness, systemic and service abuse, addiction, substance abuse and generational violence.

Since its implementation at Fairfield Police Station, the Co-Location Project has successfully assisted in securing best practice outcomes for clients whom may previously have fallen through the cracks. We would like to share with you how and why this collaborative project has been a positive step forward in victim reporting, support and collaborative agency practice.