Governments must invest more in long-term recovery services if Australia is to change the trajectory of domestic, family and sexual violence, a major national report has found.
The Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission’s 2026 Yearly Report to Parliament warns that increased effort and investment are still not delivering change at the scale or pace required.
The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre has welcomed the report’s recommendation that governments invest in the conditions women need to achieve safety and rebuild their lives.
“Safety and recovery depend on coordinated access to housing, financial support and security, legal assistance, health care, counselling and other practical assistance,” the report states.
Centre CEO Elise Phillips said the finding reinforced the need to fund recovery as a core part of Australia’s response to violence.
“The Commission has recognised recovery as essential to safety. That now needs to be reflected in government budgets and in the Second Action Plan under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032,” Ms Phillips said.
“Funding for recovery must be long-term and reliable, so services can meet demand and women are not left waiting months for support. It must also reach regional communities, where access is too often determined by postcode.”
The report found increased investment had strengthened specialist services and expanded Australia’s capacity to respond to violence. However, funding remained uneven across jurisdictions and had not kept pace with the scale of the problem or demand for support.
Reports of sexual violence rose by 64 per cent over 15 years and reached their highest recorded level in 2024. The national rate fell by less than 1 per cent in the past year – the first decrease in 15 years – but the Commission said sustained action and investment were still needed to change the trajectory.
The Commission undertook a pilot survey of 149 people with lived experience, which also exposed significant gaps in access. Only 8 per cent could obtain all the services they needed when they needed them, while almost one-third could not access any of the services they required.
Only 15 per cent believed support systems in their communities were working well, and 19 per cent believed different parts of the system worked together effectively.
Ms Phillips said the figures reflected a system that too often left women to coordinate their own recovery.
“Women experiencing trauma should not have to navigate a maze of disconnected health, housing, legal and support services,” she said.
“The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre was established to bring that support together around each woman. This report provides further evidence of why integrated recovery services are needed and why they require secure, long-term funding.”
The Commission also called for greater investment in early intervention, stronger national accountability, reform of the justice and family law systems, and distinct, properly resourced action on sexual violence.
“The scale of sexual violence in Australia demands sustained national investment and action, commensurate with the scale of the problem,” Commissioner Micaela Cronin said.
“Collectively, we must send a clear message that these behaviours are not acceptable, and that people who have experienced sexual violence will be heard, treated with dignity and respect, and supported through their justice and healing journey.”
“With the upcoming NSW election only months away, we hope this report shapes the priorities political parties take to the community.
“Recovery must be more than a statement of intent. We want to see clear election commitments to long-term funding for specialist recovery services, including access for women in regional communities. The evidence is now in front of us; the question is who is prepared to act on it.”