Submission to the Australian Government's consultation on the Second Action Plan (2027–2032) under the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022–2032

The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Australian Government's consultation on the Second Action Plan (2027–2032). This submission draws together evidence from across CEVAW's research program – spanning technology-facilitated gender-based violence, disaster recovery, polyvictimisation, faith communities, suicide, legal and justice system responses, First Nations women's engagement with the family law system, migration and sex work – organised around our evidence and key messages rather than strictly around the consultation's five priority areas. A central concern raised throughout this submission is the limited attention given to legal and justice system responses within the current consultation paper, despite these systems being a critical point of contact – and, too often, a point of failure – for victim-survivors seeking safety and accountability. This concern is reflected in the scale of evidence and recommendations set out below on the family courts, domestic violence fatality reviews, restorative justice, specialist family violence courts, First Nations women's engagement with the family law system, migration and sex work.