Victim-survivors’ perceptions of a coordinated police and social services response to recidivist family violence

Coordinated police-social service responses involving embedded social workers are a key strategy for addressing recidivist family violence. Through an anonymous mixed-methods online survey, this study examined 18 high-risk victim-survivors’ perceptions of a police-social services response in Australia. Most victim-survivors reported that the embedded social workers helped to connect them and/or their family to a range of relevant support services, and the coordinated response helped to reduce family violence in their lives. From victim-survivors’ perspectives, the most helpful aspects of the coordinated response involved safety planning, emotional support, and tailored advocacy. Their suggestions for improvement centred on two themes: help not handcuffs, and consistent communication. Allied with prior studies involving victim-survivors’ perspectives, there is mounting evidence that specialist social workers are an effective addition to police units responding to family violence.