In 2002, Victoria Police launched our first strategy for combatting violence against women and children.
Since then, we have delivered significant organisational reforms which have greatly improved our capacity and capability in victim-centric, highly visible and responsive policing.
Victoria Police family violence, sexual offences and child abuse strategies
We have built upon lessons learned from the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence and the national Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse alongside other significant reviews and inquiries. This has included the Victorian Law Reform Commission’s reports into Stalking and Improving the Justice System Response to Sexual Offences.
The timeline at the end of this Strategy outlines significant Victoria Police reform initiatives in family violence, sexual offences and child abuse since the Royal Commission into Family Violence in 2016. Each reform has provided opportunities to improve frontline and specialist police responses.
Victoria Police now has in place an extensive network of generalist and specialist functions that respond to these crimes.
Frontline police are often the first responders to incidents, playing a critical role in managing risks to safety, supporting victim survivors and investigating offences. Our police lawyers and prosecutors are responsible for prosecuting intervention order applications and criminal offences. These critical roles are complemented by a range of specialist teams and roles across Victoria Police.
An overview of some of these specialist functions is also outlined at the end of this Strategy.
Updated