Alcohol's role in family violence and opportunities for change

2014 Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education Annual Alcohol Poll

Sarah WardSenior Policy Officer@FAREAustraliaThe need for action to preventalcohol-related family violence

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To a world free of violence: where we all want to live

STOPPING HARM CAUSED BY ALCOHOL#

Physical availability contributes to family violencePrice of alcohol and promotion contributes to increased alcohol consumption and social harmSocietal views about alcohol: alcohol leads to or excuses violence, contributes to the normalisation of excessive alcohol use, aggression and family violence

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Police data: domestic violence incidents with definite alcohol involvement, 200113

ALCOHOL-RELATED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENTS


From states that collect data on alcohols involvement in domestic violence incidents (NSW, WA, VIC and NT) there are close to 30,000 incidents each year.

It might look like NSW is getting better but actually its a change from 9,902 to 9,948

In Victoria they also collect data on possible involvement of alcohol and that accounts for another 13,800 domestic violence assaults. 3

Because of others drinking you: 65% felt emotionally hurt or neglected63% had a serious argument27% felt threatened by them6% were physically hurt by them34% stopped seeing themDrinking by family members negatively impacts three million Australians

3 MILLION


In 2008 in the original survey an estimated 3 million adult Australians had been negatively affected by drinking of a family member or intimate partner:

The person who was affecting them the most was: A partner or ex-partner 21% and 10%A parent/child or siblingOr another relative (aunt/uncle/cousin)

Around a third of people lived in the same household as the drinker who was affecting them

And the impacts that this persons drinking had on them included:Feeling emotionally hurt or neglectedHaving a serious argument with themFeeling threatened by themPhysically hurt by themPeople also stopped seeing that person, or felt they couldnt bring friends home, or there was less money in the household because of the persons drinking.

Some people were also being impacted by the drinking of more than one person.

Women were more like to report being negatively affected by a family members drinking than men.

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Alcohol is significantly involved in child maltreatment

10,166 children are in the child protection system and an additional 142,582 are not within the child protection system but are substantially affected by someones alcohol consumption


In 2008, 22% of carers reported that their child or children had been affected in some way by an adults drinking. This is over 1 million children

Children are impacted in a variety of ways, including being:Yelled at or verbally abused: 9%Left unsupervised or in an unsafe situation: 3%Witnessed serious violence in the home: 3%

Qualitative analysis looked at who was harming the children: this was comprised of 20 in depth interviews: For those children being harmed most were being harmed by a man (13), with 9 of these being their father, adult brother or an uncle. If the child was being harmed by a women (5 cases), 4 of these were by the childs mother and 1 by the aunt

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Children were affected by the drinking of: Parents (step-parent, current partners/ex-partner)SiblingsOther relatives: uncle/aunt/cousinsOther adults: teacher, coach, priestBecause of an adults drinking children:9% were yelled at, criticised or verbally abused3% were left in an unsupervised or unsafe situation3% witnessed serious violence in the homeAlcohol impacts over one million children

1 MILLION


In 2008, 22% of carers reported that their child or children had been affected in some way by an adults drinking. This is over 1 million children

Children are impacted in a variety of ways, including being:Yelled at or verbally abused: 9%Left unsupervised or in an unsafe situation: 3%Witnessed serious violence in the home: 3%

Qualitative analysis looked at who was harming the children: this was comprised of 20 in depth interviews: For those children being harmed most were being harmed by a man (13), with 9 of these being their father, adult brother or an uncle. If the child was being harmed by a women (5 cases), 4 of these were by the childs mother and 1 by the aunt

Impacts include arguments, disharmony, children taking on adult caring rolesA constellation of issues and stressors such as poverty, housing issues, employment issues can be caused by alcohol use or as a result of these stressors

Estimated that:1.4 million children live in a household with a risky drinker1 million are affected in some way by the drinking of others142,000 are substantially affected10,166 are already in the child protection system where a carers drinking has been identified as a factor

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When alcohol is involved: the risk of violence and the victim's injuries are more severe...

ANGELA TAFTDirector of Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University24 February 2015

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Alcohols influence: by perpetrators of violence

Price of alcohol

Availabilityof alcohol WHY WE SHOULD ACT:Strategies that tackle the use of alcohol by perpetrators of violence will help make women and childrens lives safer


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Once he started drinking on a Friday night then Mr Happy - Mr Bouncy would come out again. But Mr Happy started turning into Mr Sarcastic and Mr Making Personal Remarks and and then being threatening and then, you know, hurting. (Laura, aged 50, WINGS Study)Hell start to kick off and then hell realise hes in [the] pub and then hell stop and then hell calm downso he can stop when he wants to stop (Margaret, Womens Perspectives: the Role of Alcohol in Violence Against Women)What women say about living with alcohol-related partner violence


The relationship between alcohol and domestic violence is complex.

Women report what its like, that drinking goes from Mr Happy to Mr Sarcastic and Mr Making Personal Remarks and then being threatening.

Bit as in the second example women also report that the perpetrator can still have some level of control about where and when violence occurs. 9

WHY WE SHOULD ACT:Supporting women to seek help can improve their lives and welfareAlcohols influence: by victims of violence


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Interviews demonstrate the harms that children are experiencingShell be yelling and screaming Now [the 13 year olds] gone to live with her father she realises that hes worse than the mother because he goes off and then comes home drunk and wakes her up and is abusive.He actually one night was physically abusive to [their] mother and the three of them witnessed it.... When he got in the door he actually tried to strangle her.[My children] were in the car with [my sister] one day when she had been drinking and I followed her and stopped the car and asked them to get out and then took them myself.

Alcohols influence: impact on children


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Alcohols influence: impacts on childrenWHY WE SHOULD ACT:Supporting families to prevent violence can stop issues including alcohol and other drug, mental health, criminal justice and further violence from occurring


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The hidden harm results show that: Not just a matter of choice Alcohol-related harms are not merely a case of someone choosing to drink to excess then being harmed as a consequence.Innocent victims Alcohol-related impacts are beyond the control of the person that is most affected (e.g. child maltreatment and domestic violence).Quashing stereotypesMyth that its someone elses drinking that is the problem and instead demonstrates that a vast population of people are affected.Everyones problem Demonstrates that everyone is sharing the costs of these harms through healthcare, child protection, policing and lost productivity.Justification for regulatory measures Demonstrates that most people have little or no control over the impacts of alcohol-related harms.


HTO is important because it does the following:

Demonstrates that alcohol related harms is not just a case of someone choosing to drink to excess and getting hurt.

We can discuss all day the role of choice and social determinants in all of peoples health care. But in this case the most relevant factor is that the people who are affected through Harm to Others are people who are not the drinker.

This leads on well to the next point which is that alcohol related harms can be beyond the control of the person affected young children who are victims of child protection cases are just that victims. Stereotypes we can no longer think about the lone drinker the middle aged man on a park bench as the person who is most impacted by alcohol missue. EXPAND13

A domestic violence strategy that does not even mention alcoholis not worth the paper its written on.

NOVA PERISSenator for the Northern Territory29 September 2014

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Reduce the economic availability of alcoholReduce the physical availability of alcoholRegulate the promotion of alcoholConduct strong social marketing campaigns and school-based education programs about alcohol usePrimary prevention Introduce whole of community action to prevent family violence


The next level is primary prevention

This focuses on improving outcomes across the whole community, to reduce individual harm

We need to raise awareness about alcohol harms and links to family and domestic violence, we need ongoing public education campaigns supported by education in schools on alcohol and respectful relationships

We need to reduce the physical availability of alcohol, through controlling the density of outlets (both on and off licence), we need to reduce trading house

We need to look at the affordability of alcohol and raise the price of the cheapest products, reforming alcohol taxation

We need to remove reckless promotions and eliminate negative and sexist advertising of alcohol products.

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Alcohol is more available than it ever has beenPROBLEM10% off-licence premises = 3.3% increase in family violence= 1.9% increase in hospitalisation due to chronic diseaseDisadvantaged areas= 6 times more bottle shops= 4 times more pubs/clubs

SOLUTIONOne less outlet per 1,000 people = 4% violence towards childrenFor every hour of reduced trading after midnight = 20% in non-domestic assaults


The next level is primary prevention

This focuses on improving outcomes across the whole community, to reduce individual harm

We need to raise awareness about alcohol harms and links to family and domestic violence, we need ongoing public education campaigns supported by education in schools on alcohol and respectful relationships

We need to reduce the physical availability of alcohol, through controlling the density of outlets (both on and off licence), we need to reduce trading house

We need to look at the affordability of alcohol and raise the price of the cheapest products, reforming alcohol taxation

We need to remove reckless promotions and eliminate negative and sexist advertising of alcohol products.

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PROBLEMAlcohol can be purchased for 25c 43% of drinkers purchase more alcohol when it is on special or its price is reduced; 59% of regular drinkers do thisTaxation system advantages cheap bulk wine

SOLUTION1% increase in price of alcohol = 3% in intimate partner violence10% excise in beer = 1-2% severe child abuse

Alcohol has never been more affordable


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PROBLEMAlcohol advertising contributes to when young people commence drinking and the amount the drink Alcohol advertising is highly sexualisedSelf regulated system

SOLUTIONAddress the portrayal of women in alcohol advertisingRegulate the alcohol advertising system

Alcohol is heavily promoted


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Support family-centred programs for people with alcohol and other drug problemsConduct screening programs for alcohol in healthcare settings Identify and support children and young people are risk of child maltreatment Close the gap on the higher prevalence of alcohol-related family violence among Indigenous peopleSecondary prevention Assist people most at risk of family violence through early identification and support


Secondary prevention focuses on supporting people who are greater risk of harm

The first action is about support children and young people, identifying them early

Funding family centred programs, and family places for people with alcohol and other drug issues who are seeking support or treatment

Reducing alcohol-related violence in Indigenous communities, working with communities to develop solutions that are community led and community initiated, that are funded, well resourced and include funding for treatment services. As Senator Nova Peris said last year If you are not tackling alcohol then you are not tackling domestic violence.

Undertake opportunistic screening for alcohol in a range of health care settings, GPs, emergency services etc. 20

Facilitate collaboration between alcohol and other drug services and family violence services to ensure a no wrong doors approachSupport and develop viable alcohol and other drug services and family violence servicesEnsure that perpetrator programs adequately address the use of alcohol and pilot innovative programsTertiary prevention Provide support for people affected by family violence and protect them from future harm


Tertiary prevention is about protecting people from further harm and working to prevent harm from occurring again.

Actions that are recommended include Models of Care between alcohol services and domestic violence services, so that no one is turned away from the help and support that they need

Providing adequate and ongoing funding to services

Funding intensive programs for perpetrators of violence who have alcohol problems21

If you always do what youve always done, youll always get what youve always gotten

ANTHONY ROBBINS

20 tangible actions for Australian Governments.

These actions are presented using a public health model; covering primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.

There is a need to ensure that Australias policy and program responses to family violence include targeting alcohols involvement in this violence. This is because alcohol is significantly involved with family violence in Australia:Police data shows that in NSW alcohol is involved in 35% of family violence incidents, in Victoria it is 23% and in the Northern Territory it is 65%. Alcohol is also involved in between 15 and 47% of child protection cases.In more than a third of intimate partner homicides that perpetrator had used alcohol. To date in Australia, Government plans and strategies have not adequately recognised the role of alcohol, nor recommended specific actions to prevent/reduce alcohol harms. When actions are recommended, these are usually about specific population groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.Australian Governments can and should move to prevent alcohol-related family violence by implementing the actions outlined in this National Framework. Today we are calling on Australian Governments to do the following: Ensure that COAG includes this National Framework the agenda of their next meeting and considers the actions outlined in the Framework.Immediately commence developing uniform minimum principles for liquor licensing across Australia to:Prevent areas from becoming saturated with liquor licences (density, time limited licences)Reduce licenses in areas already saturated with liquor licences (freezes and buy backs)Introduce restrictions in trading hours to reduce availability (reduce trading hours).Fund the development of state and territory level Models of Care between alcohol and other drug services, mental health services, intimate partner violence services, perpetrator programs and child protection to ensure a no wrong doors approach to people seeking support.Provide long term sustained funding to alcohol and other drug and family violence services. Fund innovative perpetrator programs, such as South Dakota 24/7 Sobriety program to specifically change their behaviours, address alcohol use and set national standards that include alcohol.Introduce a levy on alcohol products through the alcohol taxation system to fund measures to prevent and reduce alcohol-related family violence.Important information for experts At each meeting ensure that you provide the politician or advisor with a copy of the Framework and a summary document.Note that the passes you have do not allow you to walk around Parliament House. A member of the FARE team will meet you at the end of your meeting to escort you to your next meeting.Please take notes and let the FARE team know of the need for any follow-up so that they can ensure that the politician or advisor receives any information that they request.Please call Sarah on 0468 368 746 or Caterina on 0402 726 002, if you need help.Background Why did FARE develop the National framework for action to prevent alcohol-related family violence?To date, government plans and strategies have not adequately acknowledged alcohols involvement in family violence, or have failed to recommend strategies to address the issue.Research from The hidden Harm: Alcohol impact on children and families (and others) demonstrate the significant involvement of alcohol in family violence. Implementing actions to reduce the availability and accessibility of alcohol can and will make a difference to incidence of family violence. These should be pursued. How was the Framework developed?The Framework was developed from Oct 2014 to May 2015Reviews of the evidence were undertakenConsultation with experts in alcohol and drugs, family violence, child protection, police and others was undertakenDraft Policy Options paper written (Oct 2014 Jan 2015)Roundtable event with experts in Feb 2015 and public release of Policy Options paperPublic consultation on the Policy Options Paper and development of final framework from Feb to May 2015.

What this research shows is that we have a responsibility to work together to develop policy and program options that will prevent and reduce alcohol-related family violence.

FARE is working on developing a National Framework for Action to present to governments across Australia to highlight policies that can be introduced that will prevent alcohol-related family and domestic violence.

Over the past 9 months FARE has worked with the public health sector, womens organisations, family services and researchers to develop policy options to begin the conversation on what we can and must do to prevent alcohol-related family violence.

Weve developed a policy options paper, which will become a National Framework for Action that well launch in June at Parliament House in Canberra.

The following slides present the high-level policies that can be implemented that have been developed through this consultative process.

They are across 4 levels of prevention.

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National, state/territory plans have not adequately recognised alcohol nor recommended strategies to address these harms Where specific alcohol strategies are identified, these are often directed towards Indigenous people

Alcohol is consistently not recognised as factor in family violence


$4.4 millionWA$1.2 millionACTTotal: $477 million$31.1 millionQLD$81.3 millionVIC$228 millionNSW$6 millionNT$100 millionAUSTGOVTNoannouncementsSA$25.5 millionTAS34d Recent Government announcements havent mentioned alcohol1st 2nd


Over the last 6 8 months over $477 million has been announced and allocated by Australian governments to address family violence, mostly allocated over the next 4 to 5 years.

With NSW leading the way at $228 millionThe Federal Government at $100 millionAnd Victoria at $81.3 million

None of these announcements mention alcohol or address alcohol as an issue. They are also all very crisis focused funding for courts, refuges, perpetrator programs, telephone support, Mens behaviour change

All worthwhile endeavours but not prevention focused. 24

Family violence is an entrenched epidemic that we've lived with since time began But I do believe the tide is turned.

ROSIE BATTY2015 Australian of the Year25 January 2015

So what do we do? 25

Recommendation 24:The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government consider the framework developed by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) as part of the crossjurisdictional work it is leading through COAG to ensure the development of an integrated and focused effort to reduce the role of alcohol as a contributing factor in cases of domestic violence.Recommendation by Senate Inquiry into Domestic Violence


Actions taken FEBJUNENOVAUGRELEASE OF THE HIDDEN HARM: ALCOHOLS IMPACT ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIESLAUNCH OF NATIONAL FRAMEWORK TO PREVENT ALCOHOL-RELATED FAMILY VIOLENCE FRAMEWORK SUBMITTED TO COAGLAUNCH OF OUR WATCH PREVENTION FRAMEWORK SENATE DV INQUIRY RECOMMENDS IMPLEMENTATION OF FARES NATIONAL FRAMEWORK ADVOCACY TO CONTINUE2016


How was the Framework developed?The Framework was developed from Oct 2014 to May 2015Reviews of the evidence were undertakenConsultation with experts in alcohol and drugs, family violence, child protection, police and others was undertakenDraft Policy Options paper written (Oct 2014 Jan 2015)Roundtable event with experts in Feb 2015 and public release of Policy Options paperPublic consultation on the Policy Options Paper and development of final framework from Feb to May 2015.

FebReport investigating alcohols impact on children and families.

JuneLaunch of National framework to prevent alcohol-related family violence National framework launched at Parliament house with 70 MPs and Senators.

AugFramework submitted to COAGLetters sent to COAG members, Advisory Committee and relevant state and territory ministers about the plan

AugSenate DV Inquiry recommends implementation of FAREs National framework The National framework is specifically named as a recommendation by Senate Inquiry.

NovLaunch of Our Watch Prevention Framework Alcohol is recognised as being a significant factor in family violence. Greater recognition ever previously achieved.

Next steps. The release of Alcohols harm to others was revolutionary, it gave us understanding of alcohols harms to people other than the drinker themselves.

However, since the release of this landmark study it has not driven a single policy change in alcohols policy in Australia.

The release of this new report this failing cannot be repeated, which is why FARE is working on developing a national framework for action to be launched at parliament house in Canberra in June this year.

The reports and companion pieces of research are available from the FARE website.

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To a world free of violence: where we all want to live



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Sarah Ward Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education@FAREAustralia

Thank [email protected]/[email protected]

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Alcohol's role in family violence and opportunities for change

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