Family violence is the most common form of violent offending in Victoria and the leading driver of police call-outs and Magistrates’ Court applications. It is also one of the most under-reported categories of harm, particularly where coercion, control and financial abuse sit alongside physical violence. The system that has built up to respond to it — legislation, courts, police, the Orange Door network, specialist services — is the result of two decades of reform.
This is our plain-English guide for victim-survivors and bystanders in Victoria. It explains what family violence means under the law, how to call for help, what an intervention order is at a high level, and what police can do when they arrive. If you are in immediate danger, call 000. This article is general information, not legal advice.
How Victorian law defines family violence
The relevant statute is the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic), which sets out a deliberately broad definition. Family violence in Victoria is not limited to physical violence. The Act includes:
- Physical assault and threats of physical assault.
- Sexual assault and sexually coercive behaviour.
- Emotional and psychological abuse, including persistent putdowns, isolation and intimidation.
- Economic abuse — controlling money, withholding access to funds, sabotaging employment.
- Threatening, coercive or controlling behaviour that causes a person to fear for their safety or wellbeing or that of their child.
- Behaviour that causes a child to hear, witness or otherwise be exposed to the effects of family violence.
The Act applies to a wide range of family relationships — intimate partners (including former partners), parents and children, other family members, and people in relationships that have the qualities of a family relationship even where there is no formal tie. Same-sex relationships, kinship relationships in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and carer relationships are all covered.
Coercive control is recognised within this definition, although Victoria has not (at the time of writing) enacted a stand-alone coercive control offence as some other jurisdictions have. The Victorian approach is to treat coercive control as part of the family-violence definition rather than as a separate offence.
Calling for help
If you are in immediate danger, call 000. Ask for police. Tell the operator the address you are at and stay on the line if it is safe to do so. If it is not safe to speak, call 000 and follow the silent-call prompts — on a mobile, the Triple Zero operator can be alerted through key presses.
If you need help and are not in immediate danger, the main statewide services are:
- Safe Steps — 1800 015 188. Victoria’s 24/7 family-violence response line for women and children. Crisis accommodation, safety planning, referrals.
- 1800RESPECT — 1800 737 732. National 24/7 sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling.
- The Orange Door network — statewide intake points for family violence and child wellbeing services. Most areas of Victoria have an Orange Door, which can connect victim-survivors with case managers, financial assistance, accommodation help and longer-term services.
- InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence — 1800 755 988. Specialist support for people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
- Djirra — 1800 105 303. Specialist support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
- Men’s Referral Service — 1300 766 491. For men who are using or experiencing family violence.
- Sexual Assault Crisis Line — 1800 806 292.
Many of these services accept referrals through The Orange Door rather than only on a self-referral basis. A friend, GP, school or workplace can also be a starting point for connecting in.
What an intervention order is, at a high level
An intervention order is a civil order made by the Magistrates’ Court (or, in some matters, the Children’s Court) that places conditions on the behaviour of a respondent towards a protected person. In family-violence matters, the order is called a Family Violence Intervention Order (FVIO). It is not a criminal conviction in itself — it is a protective order — but breaching one is a criminal offence.
Conditions vary with the circumstances. Common conditions include not committing family violence, not contacting the protected person, not approaching their home or workplace, not damaging their property, and (in serious cases) not coming within a defined distance of them. Where children are involved, there are often specific provisions about parenting communication and contact.
An order can be made on a final basis, after a contested or consent hearing, or on an interim basis pending the final hearing. We have a separate article on intervention orders that goes into the application process and how the court decides.
Family Violence Safety Notices
Police have the power to issue a Family Violence Safety Notice (FVSN) on the spot, before a court order is in place. An FVSN operates as an immediate, short-term intervention order — with conditions that take effect from the moment it is served — and brings the matter before the Magistrates’ Court within a short window for an interim or final order.
The notice is significant because it lets police act in the moment without waiting for a court list. It is one of the more visible reforms to flow from the Royal Commission into Family Violence. Conditions in the notice can include exclusion from the family home, no contact, and other protections.
The role of police as first responders
Victoria Police are usually the first responders at a family-violence incident. Family-violence response is a substantial share of operational policing time — in any given year, Victoria Police records hundreds of thousands of family-violence incidents. The force has dedicated Family Violence Investigation Units in each region.
When police attend, in broad terms they will assess immediate safety, separate the parties if necessary, gather information from the affected family member and any witnesses including children, complete a risk assessment, and decide whether to charge any criminal offence, issue a safety notice, apply for an intervention order, or take some combination of steps. They will refer the affected family member to support services.
The lived experience of police response is uneven and our newsroom has written about the gap between policy and practice. The Family Violence Reform implementation continues, and police training in this area continues to evolve. Where someone has had a poor experience and wants to raise it, the IBAC and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission are external complaint avenues alongside the Professional Standards Command.
For bystanders
If you are concerned about someone — a friend, a family member, a neighbour — the most useful things bystanders can do are usually quiet and patient. Believe them. Don’t pressure them to leave or report on a timeline they have not chosen. Help them think about safety planning. Help them stay connected with people outside the relationship. Know the support numbers above and offer them without imposing them. If you witness an incident and someone is in immediate danger, call 000.
The Our Watch and Mindframe guidelines on talking and writing about family violence are clear that bystander action is most effective when it is consistent and unconditional, not crisis-driven.
Where to get help
If you are in immediate danger, call 000. For 24/7 support, Safe Steps is on 1800 015 188 and 1800RESPECT is on 1800 737 732. The Orange Door network connects victim-survivors with longer-term services across Victoria. For men using or experiencing family violence, the Men’s Referral Service is on 1300 766 491. For sexual assault, the Sexual Assault Crisis Line is on 1800 806 292. For children and young people, Kids Helpline is on 1800 55 1800. For First Nations callers, 13YARN is on 13 92 76. For general crisis support, Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
