Are You Safe at Home? Day

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:02): My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the minister inform the council about Are You Safe at Home? Day?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:02): I thank the honourable member for his question and I am very happy to inform the council about Are You Safe at Home? Day. On Wednesday 10 May this year, Embolden, a peak body for domestic, family and sexual violence services in South Australia, partnered with Safe and Equal, an equivalent Victorian body, to mark Are You Safe at Home? Day 2023.

To mark the day and facilitate safe and respectful conversations, these two organisations held an online forum where people could join to discuss the important role that colleagues and workplaces play in recognising and responding to family violence. This critical conversation was led by Lived Experience Program Officer Rebecca Carro and the Strategic Projects and Engagement Manager, Emma Morgan, both from Victoria's Safe and Equal service.

The facilitators were able to focus on domestic and family violence supports for South Australians and Northern Territorians while exploring exactly what family violence is, what it can look like and who it can impact, and some suggested ways about how to go about having safe and respectful conversations on these topics.

Safe and Equal first developed the Are You Safe at Home? campaign back in 2020 off the back of the increased risk of family and domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with Embolden, Safe and Equal have built a series of tools and resources, both for people experiencing such violence and for others to help navigate sensitive conversations and to safely support someone experiencing family or domestic violence.

Embolden is an alliance for women's equality and respect, and work to lobby and advocate for women's rights to respect, safety and self-determination. Formerly called the Coalition of Women's Domestic Violence Services SA, for over 40 years the organisation, now called Embolden, have fought for women's safety and offer many specialist domestic, family and sexual violence services, such as representing providers of specialist services in those related sectors, including Aboriginal specialist services and services that work with men who use violence against women.

The alliance also does work to consult and collaborate with both government and non-government on issues around domestic family and sexual violence and women's safety more broadly through providing policy, advice and submissions. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Embolden and Safe and Equal for facilitating the Are You Safe at Home? online event, generating potentially life-saving conversations, and for the important work they continue to do in this space.

I would also like to acknowledge all the people who have worked in this sector for their tireless efforts over many, many years advocating and helping people experiencing such circumstances and to stamp out this form of violence in our society.