COTA SA welcomes the recent announcement by the State Government in responding to the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence and strongly supports its commitment to progressing landmark reform in this critically important area.

COTA SA Chief Executive Miranda Starke says COTA SA is pleased to see the Government acting quickly and decisively to adopt the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, to which COTA SA had contributed.

“We are very encouraged by the State Government’s adoption of almost all the Royal Commission recommendations and its investment over the next decade to progress landmark reform in this crucially important area” Miranda says.

“This response signals a clear commitment to delivering comprehensive reform to address domestic, family and sexual violence including for a significant but often-hidden cohort of older women”.

“We congratulate the State Government for acting quickly and decisively on the Royal Commission’s findings, and for its commitment to simplifying and integrating systems, removing barriers to access, and to incorporating lived experience into co-design and improvement of programs and services. We know that these changes will make a difference to victim survivors and their families.”

COTA SA was honoured to appear as an expert witness at the public hearings of the 2025 Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence. As one of only two organisations invited to give evidence from the perspective of older people, COTA SA is proud to have ensured that the voices of older South Australians were considered and reflected in the report’s lived experience recommendations.

Our evidence drew on COTA SA’s 2024 research into violence against older women in South Australia, which was cited in the final report, and highlighted the often invisible forms of abuse experienced by older people. It emphasised the need for more support services tailored to the needs of older people, as well as targeted campaigns to raise awareness, challenge ageism, and drive meaningful action.

One of the first recommendations to be accepted was the establishment of a statewide Lived Experience Advisory Network for adults. The Lived Experience Advisory Network (LEAN) provides an important opportunity for victim survivors to share their experiences and help shape ongoing reform. It is crucial that the experiences of older people continue to be included in this conversation, and we encourage older South Australians with lived experience to consider participating in the network. Please visit Lived Experience Engagement - Embolden for more information.

COTA SA will continue to work collaboratively across government, the NGO and community sectors to share learnings, amplify the voices of older victim survivors, and strengthen understanding, awareness and access to appropriate supports and services.

Finally, we know that the Christmas holiday period can be a particularly difficult time of year for people experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence, as well as for those who are concerned about or supporting others in their lives. Violence is never acceptable. Help is available. We encourage anyone who needs support to reach out to trusted services such as 1800RESPECT, the Domestic Violence Crisis Line on 1800 800 098, Lifeline on 13 11 14, or to call 000 if they are in immediate danger. If you suspect you or someone you know is being abused or mistreated, including for elder abuse, you can contact the Adult Safeguarding Unit on 1800 372 310. For more information on support services, please visit the Older Women’s Services and Supports page on our website.