Project background

In 2016, the Wagga Women’s Health Centre (WWHC) undertook a Community Attitudes Survey in Wagga Wagga, which identified that many community members: • hold low support for gender equality. • adhere to rigid or stereotypical gender roles. • hold attitudes and beliefs that justify or excuse, trivialise or minimise domestic and family violence, and blame the victim. Stakeholder research also conducted in 2016, found that all attempts to address domestic and family violence (DFV) in Wagga Wagga focused on crisis response and tertiary intervention, with a lack of primary prevention programs and activities. In response to the 2016 Community Attitudes Survey findings and stakeholder research, WWHC partnered with Wagga Wagga City Council (Council) to implement a long-term plan for primary prevention, known as theDVproject:2650. The project focused on changing identified attitudes and beliefs, recognising that rigid gender stereotypes and norms, and gender inequality are the main drivers of DFV. Funding was received from the Department of Communities and Justice, through Round 2 of the Domestic and Family Violence Innovation Fund to conduct theDVproject:2650 over three years in Wagga Wagga.

Wagga Wagga has a domestic and family violence rate that is 29.4% higher than the NSW state average – a rate, which has increased 40 per cent in the last five years.

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016.