When we think of safety, we often think first of the police. Yet, for many experiencing family violence, that call for help can unfortunately deepen trauma instead of alleviating it. A new report by Flat Out’s Beyond Survival Project, in collaboration with RMIT University, reveals deeply unsettling patterns in how police respond to family violence—efforts that often harm rather than help.
Beyond Individual Incidents: A Systemic Problem
The report’s findings are not about a handful of poor interactions; they expose deep, structural and systemic disadvantages embedded in our social institutions. Gender inequality, poverty, and entrenched power imbalances all shape how “safety” is defined—and who gets to define it.
In Australia, policing remains a highly centralised, male-dominated institution with historical roots in enforcing social order that often marginalised women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ communities, and those living in poverty. This means that responses to family violence are shaped not only by the law, but by who holds the power in these interactions. The survivor’s voice often becomes secondary to institutional procedures, risk assessments, and legal frameworks—systems that can replicate the same dynamics of control and silencing present in abuse.
The Harm Within the Response
According to Harm in the Name of Safety, harmful policing practices are frequent and widespread:
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90% of frontline workers surveyed reported discrimination or bias in police responses to family violence.
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83% had witnessed victims being wrongfully identified as perpetrators, sometimes repeatedly.
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More than half had encountered cases of police-perpetrated family violence.
These harms compound existing trauma. Many survivors describe feeling more disempowered, fearful, or unsafe after seeking help from police. In some cases—such as sexual abuse—the institutional response is remembered as worse than the original incident. Research in trauma psychology supports this, showing that institutional betrayal can intensify symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety, especially when survivors are not believed or are treated as suspects rather than victims.
Why This Matters for Survivors’ Mental Health
Experiencing family violence already erodes a person’s sense of control, trust, and safety. When the formal “help” system responds with disbelief, blame, or punitive action, survivors are retraumatised. This can make it harder to seek support in the future, further isolating people in dangerous situations.
For people already navigating structural disadvantage—such as poverty, racism, or homophobia—the risks are even greater. The report makes clear that these outcomes are not accidents, but predictable results of a system that was never designed with all communities in mind.
Reclaiming the Narrative: Therapeutic Approaches
While systemic change is essential, recovery is also deeply personal. Therapies like Narrative Therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) offer survivors pathways to reclaiming their lives.
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Narrative Therapy helps survivors re-author their life stories. Rather than being defined solely by the violence and its aftermath, people can explore alternative narratives that highlight their strengths, values, and acts of resistance. This is especially powerful for those whose voices were minimised or silenced in official processes, allowing them to reclaim agency over their own stories.
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EMDR Therapy is an evidence-based trauma treatment that helps process distressing memories so they no longer trigger the same intense emotional or physiological responses. By reducing the emotional charge of traumatic memories, EMDR can free survivors from cycles of hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, and avoidance—enabling them to engage more fully with present and future possibilities.
Together, these approaches can help rebuild trust in oneself, restore a sense of control, and foster hope—even when external systems have failed.
A Call for Change
We must acknowledge that safety cannot be delivered solely through systems that perpetuate the very harms they claim to address. Community-led, survivor-centred responses—grounded in justice, accountability, and care—are essential. As a mental health practice, we stand with survivors and advocate for:
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Investment in non-police crisis responses.
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Training and resources for community-based support services.
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Policies that centre survivor voices in shaping solutions.
Conclusion
Safety is not just the absence of violence; it is the presence of trust, dignity, and care. Harm in the Name of Safety challenges us to listen deeply, confront systemic injustice, and reimagine how we respond to those in need—not with control and coercion, but with empathy and solidarity.