Domestic violence in Australia

This article is about Domestic violence in Australia. For other related topics, see Outline of domestic violence.

In Australia, the issue of domestic violence is addressed through the use of Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVO).

In 2002 the Federal Government established the National Initiative to Combat Sexual Assault with funding of $16.1 million. On top of that there is a $50 million funding for the Partnership Against Domestic Violence.

In 2012 the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act was amended to reflect contemporary understandings of domestic and family violence. Examples of relationships that fall under the new act are same-sex relationships & "one night stands" where a child is produced.

Domestic violence may include numerous factors including: emotional, verbal, social, economic, psychological, spiritual, physical and sexual abuse.

In recent years, Australia has made numerous attempts to curb the scourge of domestic violence. One such example is the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, an adaptation of Clare's Law which has seen great success in the UK. Clare's Law came into affect after Clare Woods was brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2009. In Australia, domestic violence against women has been a devastating problem. One of many recent cases was that of R v Serutawake, a Supreme Court case, where Mr. Serutawake stood accused of murdering his wife.