SUSTAIN: Sustainability of Identification and Response to Family Violence in antenatal care

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  Project Leader
  Professor Kelsey Hegarty
  

  k.hegarty@unimelb.edu.au

  View researcher's webpage

  +61 3 8344 4992

Project Details

This project set out to understand and support the integration of evidence-based, effective screening, risk assessment and first-line response to domestic and family violence (DFV) into the complex system of antenatal care. It built on existing resources and research to focus on women assessed as currently in "lower risk" situations, who are often not in contact with DFV services but attended health services for pregnancy.

The project was completed in 2020.

Key points

• A new evidence-based framework has been developed, which offers practical guidance on implementing these practices.
• The research draws on the experiences of women and practitioners in antenatal hospital clinics across Victoria and New South Wales. Their responses emphasise the importance of building relationships with pregnant women during the screening process.
• The report recommends all antenatal care services implement a comprehensive system approach for optimal DFV screening and response.

For further information about this project:

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Researchers

Professor Kelsey Hegarty
Dr Elizabeth McLindon

Funding

Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS)