Theorising family and domestic violence work: What is the work and who does it?

Family and domestic violence (FDV) is a widespread social issue in Australia with significant health, welfare, and economic consequences. FDV disproportionately affects women, undermining their economic security, housing stability, and overall well-being (UNSW, 2019). Certain groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, people with disabilities, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, face increased risks due to overlapping forms of discrimination and marginalization (AIHW, 2024b). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, in particular, are 33 times more likely to be hospitalized due to FDV than non-Aboriginal women (AIHW, 2024c). While the FDV workforce is increasingly recognised, at both the Commonwealth and state/territory levels, as a key piece of the puzzle in addressing FDV in Australia, there remains limited understanding of the work itself, how it is done and experienced, why it is done in particular ways and its structural and organisational contexts.