Research Paper for Domestic Violence NSW: Development of minimum standards and best practice for women’s refuge management and service delivery in NSW

Abstract

This report addresses the ongoing threat of domestic and family violence (DFV) to the wellbeing of women and children in New South Wales (NSW) and globally, emphasising the critical role women’s refuges play in ensuring safety and access to justice for survivor-victims. Despite their importance, NSW women's refuges lack a set of minimum standards to define the range of essential services they must provide. The report advocates for the introduction of such standards to improve outcomes for DFV survivors. It begins by differentiating between 'best practices guidelines' and 'minimum standards' and providing background on current NSW domestic violence policies. A comparative analysis of Australia’s standards with international jurisdictions is presented, with a focus on South Australia and Victoria’s approaches to refuge management. Victoria’s Royal Commission into Family and Domestic Violence highlights the benefits of core and cluster models for privacy and independence, while South Australia emphasizes the need for standards in staff training and secure housing. The report also compares standards from the European Council and the National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence with those of Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW). The report concludes by recommending that minimum standards should address not only refuge layouts but also include specialist care and consistently apply a gendered approach to support services.