inTouch welcomes the Victorian Government’s decision to renew the majority of lapsing family violence funding in the 2025 Budget and to maintain overall investment in the specialist family violence sector. Continued investment in MARAM and a four-year commitment to the Connecting Communities program are also important steps toward improving prevention and service delivery in multicultural and faith-based communities.
We are encouraged by the $287 million allocated to the new Financial Assistance Scheme for victim-survivors of crime. For women on temporary visas, timely support with housing, counselling and medical care can be life-changing — but only if the scheme is accessible and culturally appropriate to all that need it.
We also acknowledge investments in community legal services, including:
These intervention models are essential for migrant and refugee women, who often face significant and intersecting barriers to justice — including visa insecurity, language-based discrimination, and limited access to culturally responsive services. inTouch continues to advocate for sustained investment in specialist family violence services that provide holistic, wraparound support tailored to the needs of migrant and refugee communities. We also call for dedicated funding for migration support services, which play a critical role in helping women on temporary visas access safety, justice and long-term stability. No woman should be forced to remain in a violent relationship because of her visa status.
We remain deeply concerned about the $1.6 billion investment in prisons and bail reforms, which risks diverting funding from community services that address the root causes of violence. We urge the Government to match justice investments with mandatory cultural responsiveness training and trauma-informed practices across the justice system.
To truly prevent violence, we must invest in culturally embedded, early intervention programs that engage men before harm occurs. inTouch’s Motivation for Change is one such inLanguage, inCulture model that challenges harmful behaviours and promotes accountability.
Recovery also requires more than crisis response. Programs like inSpire — peer-led, culturally safe recovery support for migrant and refugee women — help rebuild lives after violence. These initiatives must be recognised and funded as essential parts of the recovery ecosystem.
With nearly half of Victorians born overseas or to migrant parents, the family violence system must reflect and serve this reality. Short-term funding alone will not meet rising demand. We call for sustained investment in culturally responsive services, legal and migration support, and long-term recovery — because safety should not depend on where you were born, the language you speak, or the visa you hold.
