Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research
Statement of Purpose
To contribute to the prevention of domestic and family violence by informing, promoting and supporting the actions of individuals, communities, services and governments through state-wide leadership in research, education and evaluation.
Goals
To increase knowledge and awareness of the origins, nature, extent and consequences of domestic and family violence and work with researchers, diverse communities, service providers and governments to inform policy and practice and to prevent domestic and family violence.
Research
Initiate, undertake and collaborate on innovative and interdisciplinary research, inquiry and publication that is aimed at reducing deficits in domestic and family violence knowledge and literature, and challenging broad structural barriers currently constraining progress toward a reduction in domestic and family violence.
Objectives include:
- Identifying contemporary issues in need of rigorous investigation in Queensland, as well as nationally and globally;
- Conducting research to underpin the education and evaluation activities of the Centre;
- Publishing and distributing the results of research in a variety of accessible formats;
- Encouraging the participation of key researchers outside the Centre in its’ research programs; and
- Encouraging the development and application of interdisciplinary theoretical perspectives to inform research, education and service delivery.
Education
Contribute to changing the attitudes, values and behaviours that support tolerance of domestic and family violence.
Objectives include:
- Producing information and resources to support community education and training activities and to support professionals in formal educational contexts;
- Promoting awareness and challenging myths and misconceptions through multimedia initiatives including web based materials, newsletters, issues papers, factsheets, discussion forums and mass media; and
- Encouraging maximum participation in and knowledge of the activities of the Centre through the maintenance of an interactive website.
Evaluation
Contribute to and promote evidenced-based good practice in domestic and family violence prevention and early intervention.
Objectives include:
- Contributing to the development of benchmarks and performance indicators for new domestic and family violence prevention services;
- Promoting and supporting a culture of evaluation within domestic and family violence prevention services;
- Synthesising and interpreting state-wide data related to domestic and family violence; and
- Conducting and publishing results of evaluations of domestic and family violence prevention programs (eg models of service provision, rather than individual services).
Guiding principles
The Queensland Centre for Domestic Family Violence Research will:
- Promote and support social and cultural change to prevent domestic and family violence;
- Value difference and diversity, and welcome culturally, linguistically and geographically diverse groups of people to contribute to the Centre’s work;
- Act to ensure that responses to domestic and family violence empower and protect the autonomy and culture of those subjected to the abuse;
- Incorporate gender, feminist, class and race analyses in its work;
- Maintain high standards of conduct with an emphasis on ethics and rigour in research, education and evaluation;
- Operate from a position that:
- Domestic and family violence is a crime, a breach of human rights, and the major public health issue in the world today;
- No one should be subjected to physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse.