This project aims to update the evidence-base on PartnerSPEAK: a Victorian Organisation that provides advocacy and support for non-offending partners, family members, friends, or anyone who is affected by a person's involvement in child sexual abuse and child exploitation material.
Description
Founded in 2004, PartnerSPEAK is a Victorian organisation that provides advocacy and support for non-offending partners, family members, friends, or anyone else who is affected by a person's involvement in child sexual abuse and child exploitation material. PartnerSPEAK utilises an intentional peer support framework to provide support through various mediums such as a peerline phone service, a webchat, and a moderated online forum. These enable people to connect with others who have similar experiences to seek advice, share their stories, and gather in solidarity. Everyone who provides support through PartnerSPEAK has a lived experience of a partner or family member who offended against a child through child sexual abuse and/or exploitation materials.
PartnerSPEAK also delivers specialised training to police organisations and other groups who come into contact with non-offending partners or affected family members. From 2026, PartnerSPEAK will work closely with Victoria Police’s Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigations Teams (SOCITs), and Australian Federal Police’s Joint Anti Child Exploitation Teams (JACETs) by connecting with non-offending family members either at the time of an arrest warrant or shortly afterwards. It is therefore important to update the evidence-base on PartnerSPEAK’s work and focus on the following research aim: To gain a comprehensive understanding of how police (especially SOCITs and JACETs) work with and perceive PartnerSPEAK, with particular attention to any barriers that may prevent police from making referrals in practice.
SERC researcher
Dr Gemma Hamilton
Project dates
2026 – 2027
Funding body
PartnerSPEAK and RMIT's Centre for Innovative Justice
