COTA SA welcomes the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Royal Commission’s With Courage: South Australia's vision beyond violence report and its recommendations.

COTA SA Chief Executive Miranda Starke says COTA SA welcomes the report’s strong recommendations to incorporate lived experience into redesigning better systems and solutions as a welcome and important step, ensuring that future responses to DFSV reflect the diverse experiences of those affected.

“As one of only two organisations called to give expert evidence at the Royal Commission from the perspective of older people, and drawing on our evidence-based research, COTA SA is pleased to have contributed to ensuring that older people were considered and included in the report’s lived experience recommendations,” Miranda says.

“Older victim-survivors will now have a voice in shaping the design of new services and solutions, a critical step toward truly inclusive and effective responses to violence.

“We particularly welcome the focus on inclusive, statewide awareness and empowerment campaigns that are co-designed with a range of population groups affected by DFSV, including older people,” Miranda says.

“We welcome the recommendation to establish a new 24/7 crisis and information service in South Australia for any person experiencing DFSV. This is an important step forward in responding to DFSV across all age groups.

“We are also encouraged to see the State Government’s immediate adoption of seven recommendations in the report.”

Through COTA SA’s 2024 research into the unique experiences of older women who have experienced DFSV in Australia, which was referenced in the DFSV report, we know older people can face unique and often hidden forms of abuse, and campaigns that reflect their lived experiences are vital to raising awareness, challenging ageism, and empowering action.

We support the use of an updated Risk Assessment and Management Framework that focuses on supporting particular groups, including older people, to ensure that risk factors, tools and practice guidance specific to their needs are taken into account and implemented.

We welcome the report’s acknowledgement that the needs of older people are not necessarily met by current mainstream public education about DFSV, and the report’s reference to the public awareness campaign materials produced by COTA SA in partnership with the Office for Women from the 2024 project.

As outlined in our submission to the inquiry:

• Whether viewed through a DFSV or elder abuse lens, older women face unique challenges stemming from lifelong gendered disadvantage and systemic ageism.
• Community education and awareness raising is pivotal in preventing DFSV, especially for older women who have experienced a lifetime of gendered disadvantage.
• It has been identified that links to services have improved outcomes for victim-survivors.
• Equipping non-specialised services with the tools to identify the signs of DFSV is essential for effective early intervention particularly for older women.
• Distrust of formal services is creating a barrier to older women seeking service support.
• Underpinning all best practice support is a trauma-informed and holistic approach tailored to victim-survivors’ needs.
• Community hubs and support groups are valued for removing barriers to seeking support especially with co-location of services in local community.

We commend the Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja AO and her team for listening to the voices of older people and advocating for targeted, respectful, and effective responses to DFSV.
Implementing these recommendations would lead to a simpler, more joined-up system for victim survivors to navigate, with more services and supports for all South Australians, including older people.
COTA SA looks forward to working with government, community, industry stakeholders, and older South Australians to help bring these important reforms to life.