The Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children and VicHealth yesterday announced a partnership to develop a national framework to the prevention of violence against women. 

The three-year partnership is a first for Australia, with the initial priority the development of an approach to provide a shared understanding of effective preventative action.

Women’s Health Grampians chief executive officer Patty Kinnersly said while other states had employed response support programs targeting violence against women, Victoria was leading the way when it came to the prevention approach.

She said the wisdom that had come out of Victoria would be applied to the framework that will be developed nationally.

“In some ways it won’t impact on us a lot, because we are already leading the way with this work,” she said.

“In terms of the way society thinks about women, the VicHealth framework gives you a really strong tool for that.” Family Violence Regional Integration Grampians co-ordinator Jeannine Le Vaillant said VicHealth had one of the strongest frameworks across the state for preventative measures. “Prevention is the way that we’re going to reduce violence against women and hold men who use violence against women accountable,” she said.

Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children spokeswoman Lisa Wheildon said the framework would draw on existing best practice from Australia and overseas.

“(It would involve) what causes violence against women and their children and the most effective actions,” she said.

“We will be consulting with stakeholders around the country to get the benefits of people’s insight.”

tom.cowie@fairfaxmedia.com.au