Developing a Research Agenda with Victim-Survivors to Improve Health Sector Responses to Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence in Australia

The World Health Organisation acknowledges the health sector as playing a key role in responding to those who experience and use domestic, family and sexual violence. Limited resources need to be well spent to ensure the best outcomes for victim-survivors and their families. This study was undertaken to explore: What do victim-survivors, researchers and practitioners see as the key research priorities for improving health sector responses to domestic, family and sexual violence in Australia?

A Delphi methodology was adopted, with input from those with lived experience. Victim-survivors, researchers, practitioners and policy makers (n = 35) were engaged in a workshop and two rounds of Delphi surveys (n = 72 and 69).

Participants highly rated four themes of research priorities 1) embedding the voices victim-survivors of domestic and family violence in health sector reform; 2) improving outcomes for children, young people and young families: 3) strengthening response to victim-survivors and perpetrators; and 4) better meeting the needs of victim-survivors from diverse backgrounds (including those with a disability, mental health issues, or from culturally diverse or Indigenous backgrounds).

This study identifies a solid research agenda for organisations and individuals interested in conducting or funding research to improve health sector responses to victim-survivors in Australia. It also demonstrates one way in which victim-survivors can be engaged in a meaningful way to inform future research about domestic, family and sexual violence.