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If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at livedexperience@dcj.nsw.gov.au.
The NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner is in the process of establishing a NSW Lived Experience Advisory Group for victim survivors with lived experience of domestic, family and sexual violence.
The Advisory Group will amplify the diverse voices of people with lived experience, and share their insights and advice with the NSW Government. This will ensure that people’s lived experience will help shape government policies and programs.
The Women’s Safety Commissioner acknowledges and honours the expertise of people with lived experience of domestic, family and sexual violence. We recognise the harms victim-survivors are subjected to and thank those who have already shared their stories and advocated for change. We remember and mourn those who have been murdered and acknowledge the ongoing pain of those who have lost loved ones.
If you or someone you know is subject to domestic, family and/or sexual violence, support is available. Click here for available support services.
From Monday 31 March to Friday 16 May 2025, we conducted an Expression of Interest process for membership of the Advisory Group. This process was open to people who:
have lived experience of domestic, family and/or sexual violence
live in NSW
are aged 18 or over
have access to email and a phone
are able to attend meetings a minimum of 4 times per year. These meetings will be 4 hours long, including breaks, and assistance will be available for travel costs and childcare.
Applicants also had the opportunity to apply for a broader lived experience network for participation in activities such as surveys, one-off meetings and consultations.
To ensure representation of a range of lived experiences of domestic, family and sexual violence, we encouraged applications from people across NSW:
of all genders, ethnicities and ages (18 or over),
who are First Nations,
with disability,
from migrant, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds,
from LGBTQIA+ communities,
who have lost family members to family violence,
with experience of the criminal justice system,
aged 18 or over with experience of domestic, family and/or sexual violence as a child or young person, and
with different levels of experience of advocacy, policy or engaging with Government.
While applications for the Advisory Group have closed, we anticipate that future opportunities will arise to participate in the broader network. Any future opportunities will be shared on this page as well as on the Women's Safety Commissioner's social media channels.
We received 317 applications from people of diverse genders, ages, ethnicities, disability statuses, sexual orientations, religions, neurodiversities, education levels, experiences and backgrounds.
Successful candidates will soon be selected by a panel including representatives from First Nations communities, the domestic, family and sexual violence sector, and people with lived experience.
The panel will appoint members based on their readiness to be part of the Advisory Group and share their insights with the NSW Government, and their commitment to collaborate with the other members of the group and foster a safe and inclusive environment where everyone can share their ideas and views.
All candidates will be notified the outcome of their application by the end of June 2025.
Advisory Group members will use their skills and experiences to ensure that victim survivors’ perspectives are shared with the NSW Government to improve responses to domestic, family and sexual violence.
Title |
NSW Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Lived Experience Advisory Group Member |
Length of appointment |
Two years |
Participation methods |
Online and in-person participation |
Expected time commitment |
Four meetings a year, which will be four hours each. There may be optional activities throughout the year. |
Payment Rates |
$75 per hour sitting fee |
We will provide the below support to Advisory Group members:
Sitting fee
$75 per hour for online or in-person meetings.
Travel and accommodation
We will pay reasonable transport costs for all group members to attend meetings. For regional and rural members, we will pay for travel and accommodation.
Payment options
We can arrange payment through bank deposits or vouchers.
Childcare
For in-person meetings, we will arrange and pay for on-site childcare.
Therapy
We will pay for four therapeutic sessions per person per year following each Advisory Group meeting (up to $250 each session).
Training
We will provide group members with relevant training and professional development.
Cultural support
We will provide First Nations members with access to cultural support.
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