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© Pinnacle Charitable Foundation ABN: 1115 144 0423. August 2020.

Strengthening our partnership to confront domestic violence and sexual assault


 

Full Stop Foundation (FSF) Funding: Support is continuing for a dedicated national Legal and Policy Officer role and function, established three years ago with seed funding from the Foundation and subsequently leveraged to secure an additional partner. This service has been invaluable in providing direct legal help and advice to more than 80 clients around navigating complex court systems, processes and documents. Equally important has been the enhanced ability of FSF to review and participate in legal reform discussions, leading to more than 20 powerful submissions contributing to law reform across state and federal jurisdictions. Critically, this has also allowed “the voice of the victim to be brought to the table” - often for the first time in a meaningful way - to contribute to debate and deliberation and effect legislative change.

Now, in response to feedback from Pinnacle employees, funding in FY21 will also directly support Counsellors and trainers who are under huge pressure and need tools, training and support to cope with increased demands. R&DVSA offers training and other professional services within a certified social enterprise model, with the income generated assisting in the provision of counselling services 24/7. Assistance is being provided to enable the careful and considered adaption of the “Responding with Compassion” training module into an online format. This module has been chosen specifically as it is designed for anyone who potentially comes into contact with someone telling their story of abuse for the first time. Evidence shows that the first response received by a victim is critical in determining how their journey to recovery progresses.

Funding will also help refine and translate another R&DVSA training program based on the inherent risks facing PhD / higher learning students and their supervisors. Building better “Ethical Pedagogical Practices” explores the potential for exploitation and abuse within relationships where there is a totally skewed and uneven power dynamic. There is currently no training available which addresses this complex issue, and the detail of the research being undertaken by FSF is very impressive.