Our Vision & Values

Vision

A world free from violence and abuse

Aims

  1. To reduce harm arising from domestic and family violence in the ACT by providing a holistic crisis intervention, legal advocacy and community support service.
  2. To effect positive and informed change in the public and policy domain around domestic and family violence and the structures and systems that support it.
  3. To ensure continued availability of service by remaining relevant, responsible and viable in a challenging and changing environment.
  4. To support quality service by attracting high calibre, resilient, diverse and motivated staff and providing a healthy, safe and stimulating workplace.

Principles

  1. Drawing on evidence and research our practices are client-focussed, client-directed and child-focussed. We pride ourselves on going the extra mile for our clients and being resourceful in the face of challenges.
  2. In all aspects of our work we assume the underlying causes of intimate partner violence are linked to the gendered nature of power imbalances at the individual, structural and systemic levels.
  3. Operating within a human rights framework that encompasses safety, respect and self-determination, our priority is to assist those subjected to violence and abuse, the majority of whom are women and children. At the same time we acknowledge that working also with people who use violence in intimate relationships, who are mainly men, will improve the lives of all affected by violence and is necessary to effect social change.
  4. We are committed to Reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and we strive be respectful of the culture and lived experience of people from these communities in our relationships with them, in the services we offer, and in our general working environment.
  5. While we are a specialist service we work with a network of related domestic and family violence services and value the expertise, collaboration and support of our network partners.
  6. Beyond our day to day priority of assisting people affected by intimate partner, domestic and family violence we seek opportunities to foster the structural and systemic changes needed to reduce violence and strengthen social justice in our community.
  7. We are ethical, responsible, and flexible in our approach to governance and management.
  8. Achieving the wellbeing, development and resilience of our staff is a top priority and we strive to maintain a supportive, safe and stimulating work environment.