Empowering our community: New videos offer support for families affected by violence

The Magistrates' Court of Victoria (MCV) has launched a series of short videos to make the family violence intervention order process clearer and more accessible. Whether you are someone affected by family violence, a respondent, a support person, or a professional working with people affected by family violence, these resources are designed to provide essential information to help make the court process easier to understand.

The videos explain key stages of the intervention order process in an easy-to-understand way. They also introduce members of the court’s specialist family violence team, including registrars, practitioners, and magistrates, highlighting their roles and how they can support individuals throughout their court experience.

"We know that coming to court for a family violence intervention order matter can feel overwhelming," said Lead Family Violence Magistrate Michelle Hodgson. "One of the consistent messages throughout these videos is, ‘You are not alone, help is available.’ We want to reduce some of the uncertainty people feel about coming to court and ensure they know support is available every step of the way."

The videos are not only a resource for court users but also for professionals and support services working with people affected by family violence, providing a valuable tool for understanding the court process and enhancing the support available to clients.

View the video resources on the MCV website:

• Understanding family violence
• Getting protection from family violence
• Family violence magistrate
• Family violence registrar — applicants and respondents
• Family violence practitioner — applicants and respondents