Our
purpose

The interests of people experiencing, recovering from, or at risk of, family violence is at the heart of everything we do. 

We recognise the gendered nature of violence in our society, and the multiple intersecting forms of power and oppression which can compound the impacts of violence and limit people’s access to services, support and safety. We work closely and collaboratively with other organisations and support the leadership of victim survivors to amplify their voices and create change. 

We provide specialist expertise across primary prevention, early intervention, response and recovery approaches and the inter-connections between them. Our work is focused on: 

• developing and advancing specialist practice for responding to victim survivors
• building the capability of specialist family violence services as well as allied workforces, organisations and sectors that come into contact with victim survivors
• building the capabilities of workforces focused on primary prevention
• leading and contributing to the translation of evidence and research, practice expertise and lived experience into safe and effective policy, system design and law reform. 

We develop family violence practice and support workforces to ensure that victim survivors are safe, their rights are upheld and their needs are met. The prevalence and impact of family and gender-based violence will be reduced because we are building a strong and effective workforce responding to victim survivors that can meet the needs of the community we serve, while also having a growing and impactful workforce working to prevent violence.

We work to strengthen and connect organisations, sectors and systems to achieve safe and just outcomes for victim survivors irrespective of entry point, jurisdiction and individual circumstances. Joining efforts across prevention, response and recovery we work to ensure the family violence system is informed and supported by a well-resourced and sustainable specialist sector. Our contributions to primary prevention workforces, initiatives and alliances contribute to social change for a safer and more respectful community.

We are building momentum for social change that drives meaningful action across institutions, settings and systems for a safer and more equal society. Our workforce and practice development efforts are coupled with a partnership approach that builds community awareness and commitment to change. Our expertise and efforts enable citizens across the community to recognise and respond to family and gendered violence, hold perpetrators to account and support the ongoing recovery and empowerment of victim survivors.

We are a strong peak organisation providing sustainable and influential leadership to achieve our vision. The work we do and the way we work are integrated and align with our values. This is achieved through inclusive culture, and a safe and accessible workplace supported by robust systems and processes.

Safe and Equal holds a central position in the Victorian family violence system and its strategic governance. We are committed to being an independent voice to effect sustainable and purposeful systemic and social change.