Leadership
We are innovative thought leaders that build relationships and take action to make a difference.
We are the peak body for specialist domestic and family violence services in NSW, representing approximately 200 member services across the state.
As a member-based organisation, we centre and amplify the voices of the specialist domestic and family violence sector to improve policy, legislative and program responses to domestic and family violence through advocacy and collaboration. We also work to support the workforce promoting good practice, collaboration and training.
Our vision
Our vision is for women, families and communities to live free from violence, have equal rights, equal opportunities and the freedom to reach their potential.
Our
story
1974
DVNSW was born out of the Women’s Refuge Movement in 1974 – led by pioneering women whose courage and activism reshaped safety and support in NSW. Their fight secured the first government funding for women’s refuges and, in the same year, saw the opening of Australia’s first women’s community health centre and the Sydney Rape Crisis Centre.
2013
Over time, the Movement evolved into a collective voice for refuges, ensuring every service could contribute to policy development and lobbying for change. In 2013, members voted to expand beyond refuges to include all specialist domestic and family violence services operating within an intersectional feminist framework, adopting the name Domestic Violence NSW.
2025
Today, DVNSW stands as the peak body for specialist domestic and family violence services in NSW. For more than 50 years, our sector has grown into a highly skilled and dedicated workforce that has supported hundreds of thousands of women and children to safety, recovery and independence.
Together, we exist to end domestic and family violence.
Our Values
Our values shape everything we do – they guide how we show up, who we work with, and the impact we strive for.
Integrity
We stand up for what is right, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Respect
We support, recognise and value others.
Intersectional feminism
We acknowledge and amplify the diverse voices and experiences of all women.