ISBN 978-1-923763-68-5
PAPERBACK
ISBN 978-1-923763-69-2
EBOOK
A Comprehensive Guide for Family Violence Practitioners
Applications, Legal Analysis and Case Studies
This practical textbook examines the significant reforms introduced through the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (VIC) and the Justice Legislation Amendment (Family Violence, Stalking and Other Matters) Act 2026 (VIC).
Written by leading family violence lawyer Carmella Acciarito, the book provides clear legislative analysis, practical guidance, and 50 case studies exploring key issues including coercive control, systems abuse, stalking, misidentification, and risk-based practice. It demonstrates how the 2026 reforms strengthen victim-survivor safety, accountability, police powers, court processes, evidentiary requirements, and legal practice.
Combining legal expertise with real-world courtroom experience, this essential resource is designed for legal practitioners, judicial officers, law enforcement, academics, students, policymakers, and service providers seeking to navigate Victoria’s family violence system with confidence under the new legislative framework.
About the Author
Ms Carmella (Acciarito) is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court and High Court of Australia. As a Vifctorian registered legal practitioner she is the Founder, Director and Principal Lawyer of DFV Lawyers – Domestic and Family Violence Law Firm, Victoria and Australia’s first trauma informed Domestic and Family Violence Law Firm with extensive experience in domestic and family violence matters and their related criminal law matters. She practises across Metropolitan and Regional Magistrates Courts of Victoria, with a particular focus on Family Violence Intervention Order Applications, contest proceedings, family violence related assault, stalking prosecutions, acting on behalf of Applicants, Protected Persons and Respondents including representations concerning vulnerable Applicants and Respondents including children and persons with cognitive impairments.
Ms Carmella has worked with community legal centres, specialist family violence services, Victoria Police- Police Prosecutions and private clients on domestic and family violence matters arising under the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic), the Justice Legislation Amendment (Family Violence, Stalking and other Matters) Act (Vic) 2026, The most recent strangulation-specific reform in Victoria is Crimes Amendment( Non-Fatal Strangulation) Act 2024, Crimes Act 1958, and the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework. Her work is informed by a sustained commitment to access to the principles of justice, fairness and equity and the safety and protection of victim-survivors of family violence, experiencing coercive control and to victim rights arising from misidentification and systems abuse.
This guide reflects Ms Carmella’s direct client and courtroom experiences, the challenges all family violence practitioners face when navigating complex, multi-jurisdictional family violence matters, and her commitment to providing clear, practical, and principled guidance to the profession.
This comprehensive guide is an essential resource for professionals across the criminal justice system, legal practitioners, family violence practitioners, law enforcement, family violence practitioners, system services, and the broader education and community sectors who work with, or respond to, domestic and family violence. It provides the legal, procedural, and practical foundations required to understand the existing legislation and its 2026 reforms, apply them confidently in practice, and strengthen safety outcomes for victim survivors.