Lutheran Care welcomes and supports the findings and recommendations of the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, released last month.

In August 19, South Australia reached an important milestone in its response to domestic, family and sexual violence with the release of the Royal Commission’s final report With Courage: South Australia’s Vision Beyond Violence, alongside the Voices report, which captures survivors’ lived experiences as well as the Silence and Inaction report, which details children and young people’s experiences and systematic gaps.

Established in December 2023 following the tragic deaths of four women in one week, the Commission was led by Royal Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja AO. Its work examined prevention, early intervention, response, recovery, healing and system coordination. The findings were sobering: South Australia’s current approach was found to be fragmented, crisis-driven and lacking cohesive leadership and accountability. The scale of violence remains deeply troubling — with one in three South Australian women experiencing physical or sexual violence in their lifetime and one in 30 children enduring abuse each year.

The nearly 700-page report makes 136 recommendations for systemic reform, structured around six key strategic pillars:

• Structural reform and governance – including a standalone ministerial portfolio, a government steward and embedding DFV accountability into CEO performance agreements.
• Improved visibility and awareness – addressing media standards, public education and recognition of new forms of digital abuse.
• Victim support and safe systems – enhancing housing, health care, justice processes and ensuring accessible, trauma-informed support.
• Perpetrator-focused interventions – strengthening police and judicial training, reforming laws and addressing offending behaviour.
• Child protection and prevention – from banning corporal punishment to improving access to trauma-informed services for vulnerable children.
• Whole-of-system response and long-term healing – tackling root causes through reforms in areas such as alcohol supply and investing in recovery and prevention.

The South Australian Government has already responded, committing to implement seven of these recommendations immediately, including:

• Creating a dedicated ministerial portfolio for domestic, family and sexual violence;
• Appointing a government steward;
• Launching a five-year statewide strategy;
• Embedding DFV performance targets into departmental CEO agreements; and
• Establishing lived-experience advisory networks.

The remaining 129 recommendations are now under active consideration, with the Government pledging a full response by the end of 2025.

Acting Chief Executive Officer, Percy Henry, welcomed the results of the Royal Commission.

“At Lutheran Care, we welcome and support this roadmap for change,” he said.

“We commend the Government’s swift action on the initial recommendations and stand ready to contribute to the reforms still under review. Importantly, we are actively engaging in this process through our work with Embolden, the State’s peak body. Our team has been participating in meetings and workshops to help shape a collective sector response to government, and we have also provided targeted feedback for the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse community to ensure their voices and needs are recognised. This advocacy and collaboration remain central to our mission as we continue working for safety, dignity and justice for all.”

Need support?

• National domestic family and sexual violence counselling service: 1800RESPECT (call 1800737732 or text: 0458737732)
• MensLine Australia: Call 1300 789 978.