Domestic Violence Action Centre INC

What Domestic Violence Action Centre INC does

Domestic Violence Action Centre Inc (DVAC) is a registered non-profit charity incorporated in Queensland, Australia, founded circa 1996 and headquartered in Ipswich with a second service location in Toowoomba. The organization delivers free, confidential specialist services for victim-survivors of domestic, family, and sexual violence across South East Queensland, including counselling, case management, safety planning, DFV court support, children's services, and crisis accommodation referrals. DVAC engages over 9,000 clients annually with a reported 96% post-service safety outcome rate.

DVAC's service platform is anchored in the Common Risk and Safety Framework (CRASF), an evidence-based Queensland Government framework providing Level 1 screening and Level 2 risk assessment and safety planning tools. Operational technology is limited to case management systems, multilingual digital resources, and participation in the DFV Perpetrator Visibility Project, a cross-agency data sharing initiative with Queensland Police Service, DVConnect, Microsoft, and Griffith University. The organization also operates Community Brew Co., a wholly-owned social enterprise providing barista training with profits directed to DVAC programs.

DVAC's revenue model is government-contract dependent, with primary funding from Australian Government and Queensland Government service contracts supplemented by donations, corporate sponsorship, modest professional development fees ($30 paid workers, $10 students for practice forums; $54.25 for summit events), and Community Brew Co. merchandise and coffee sales. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on professional referrals from health, legal, and government agencies, direct outreach via two physical service locations, and a multi-channel awareness presence including social media, remembrance events, and the annual Swich Speaks Out Summit.

Name

Domestic Violence Action Centre INC

Legal name

Domestic Violence Action Centre Inc

Website

https://dvac.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DVAC is a Queensland-registered non-profit providing free, confidential domestic, family, and sexual violence services across South East Queensland from Ipswich and Toowoomba, serving 9,000+ clients annually with specialist counselling, case management, and safety planning funded primarily by Australian and Queensland Government contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family Violence Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Family violence support
• Sexual violence counselling
• Safety planning services
• Specialist case management

Headquarters

HQ city

Ipswich

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: DVAC is primarily funded by the Australian Government and Queensland Government through service contracts. The organization receives funding as a requirement of their service contract to meet funding and professional obligations.
2. Donations and Sponsorship: Community donations and corporate sponsorships provide essential items, emergency accommodation, security equipment, and program support for clients fleeing domestic violence.
3. Community Brew Co. Social Enterprise: Social enterprise coffee cart and barista training program. Profits from coffee sales, shout-a-coffee vouchers, and merchandise (coffee beans, keep cups, tea towels) directly support DVAC's mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Domestic Violence Action Centre (DVAC) provides free, confidential, specialist domestic, family, and sexual violence (DFSV) services to individuals, children, and families in South East Queensland, delivered from the purpose-built Women's and Children's Centre in Ipswich and a regional office in Toowoomba. Core service lines include counselling and case management, individualised safety planning, children's therapeutic support, DFV court preparation and advocacy, and crisis accommodation referrals, delivered in accordance with the evidence-based Common Risk and Safety Framework (CRASF). The organisation also runs paid professional development offerings (Practice Forums, Practice Development Workshops, Summits) for DFV sector practitioners, and operates the Community Brew Co. social enterprise to generate mission-aligned revenue and barista training opportunities.

Product overview

DVAC provides a comprehensive suite of specialist domestic, family, and sexual violence services across South East Queensland. The core offering centers on the Women's and Children's Centre providing face-to-face counselling and case management, supplemented by safety planning services with technology safety resources, professional development through Practice Forums and Development Workshops for practitioners, and children's support programs. The organization also operates Community Brew Co. as a social enterprise generating funds for services. Resource offerings include multilingual video content and Easy English materials developed with partner organizations. Services are accessible via self-referral, professional referral, and in-person support at their Ipswich and Toowoomba locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DVAC Women's and Children's Centre Purpose-built child-friendly facility in Ipswich providing counselling rooms, on-site parking, a playground, and dedicated appointment spaces for women and children affected by domestic, family, and sexual violence.
• Safety Planning Services Individualised safety planning for people experiencing domestic and family violence, including technology safety fact sheets addressing digital security concerns.
• Counselling and Case Management Free, confidential specialist counselling and case management services for victim-survivors of domestic, family, and sexual violence across South East Queensland.
• Practice Forums Quarterly professional development forums for DFV sector practitioners covering risk assessment, safety planning, gendered violence frameworks, and DFV response protocols using the Common Risk and Safety Framework (CRASF).
• Practice Development Workshops Three-part online workshop series via Microsoft Teams covering DFV recognition, Risk Assessments, and DVOs and Court, designed for professionals in the DFV sector.
• Children and Family Support Specialist support services for children and young people affected by domestic and family violence, including therapeutic groups and age-appropriate counselling.
• Community Brew Co. Social enterprise providing barista and customer service training while generating profits to support DVAC's mission. Offers coffee cart services for events and shout-a-coffee vouchers.
• Video Resources Educational videos in multiple languages (English, Arabic, Kurdish Kurmanji) explaining Australian law and court processes for domestic and family violence matters.
• Easy English Resources Accessible information sheets about Domestic and Family Violence Orders in Easy English format for people with intellectual disabilities, developed with WWILD Sexual Violence Prevention Association.
• Referral Services Pathway for professionals and individuals to refer people experiencing domestic and family violence to DVAC specialist services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 96% of clients report feeling safer after their involvement with DVAC services
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lions Club of IpswichminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 May 2025Community supporter providing sausage sizzle at Remembrance Day events, contributing to community engagement and awareness activities.
• Life Course Centre, University of QueenslandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2024Research partnership conducting analysis of DVAC service outcomes and Survivor Experiences Report through interviews with clients who engaged with services over 12 months, informing prevention and healing approaches.
• Queensland Police ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2023Collaboration on the DFV Perpetrator Visibility Project alongside DVConnect, Microsoft, and Griffith University. The project aims to automate information sharing across government and non-government systems to improve risk assessment, protect victim-survivors, and enhance perpetrator accountability through improved data sharing between agencies.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2023Technical partner in the DFV Perpetrator Visibility Project contributing technology expertise to develop automated data sharing systems between government and non-government agencies to advance a whole-of-society solution to end gender-based violence.
• Griffith UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2023Academic partner in the DFV Perpetrator Visibility Project contributing research expertise and data analysis capabilities to improve understanding of perpetrators and support specialist capability development.
• DVConnectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2023Statewide DFV service partner collaborating on the Perpetrator Visibility Project to improve data sharing and coordinated response to domestic violence across Queensland agencies.
• Charis Mullen MPminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 May 2023State Member for Jordan supporting the Springfield Remembrance Day ceremony and advocating for DFV awareness in the community.
• Milton Dick MPminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 May 2023Federal Member for Oxley supporting the Springfield Remembrance Day ceremony and DFV awareness activities.
• WESNETminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 February 2023National association for women's specialist services hosting panel discussions on why women's specialist services are critical to ending violence against women, with DVAC CEO as panelist.
• Red Rose FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2022Joint hosting of Red Rose Rally silent marches to advocate for DFV prevention and remember victims of domestic violence homicide, held in Toowoomba and Ipswich.
• Wolff Coffee RoastersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCoffee supplier partnership for Community Brew Co. social enterprise, providing quality coffee products that support the social enterprise's revenue generation for DVAC programs.
• Women's Crisis Support ServiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting Remembrance Day events in Ipswich, collaborating on domestic violence awareness activities.
• The Native Network Support ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support service collaborating on Remembrance Day events, supporting culturally appropriate community engagement.
• Office for Women and Violence Prevention, Department of Justice and Attorney-GeneralcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment partner co-presenting Practice Forums on Common Risk and Safety Framework, contributing to professional development for DFV sector workers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DVConnect: Statewide Queensland DFV helpline and service coordination partner collaborating with DVAC on the Perpetrator Visibility Project; offers overlapping crisis support and referral services across the same geography.
• 1800RESPECT: National DFV counselling and information service funded by the Australian Government; provides similar specialist advice, referral, and counselling services to victim-survivors as DVAC.
• No To Violence: National peak body for men's behaviour change programs and perpetrator intervention, complementary to DVAC's victim-survivor focus and adjacent within the integrated DFV response continuum.
• WESNET (Women's Services Network): National peak body for women's specialist DFV services, with DVAC's CEO Amie Carrington serving as Board Chair; coordinates advocacy, training, and sector-wide initiatives directly comparable to DVAC's professional development work.

Regional players

• Women's Safety NSW: NSW peak body and frontline DFV service network delivering specialist women's services similar to DVAC, operating in a separate Australian jurisdiction with overlapping government funding structures.
• Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre: Victoria's statewide DFV response service offering crisis support, specialist advice, and case management analogous to DVAC's Ipswich/Toowoomba services, but serving a different Australian state.
• DV West (Domestic Violence West): WA-based DFV service provider offering crisis support, counselling, and case management analogous to DVAC's core service offering, serving Western Australia.

Broad incumbents

• Lifeline Australia: National crisis support and suicide prevention service that overlaps with DVAC's crisis-line referrals and community-based counselling, though with a much broader scope.
• Relationships Australia: Large national provider of counselling, family support, and DFV-related services; offers comparable case management and counselling but across a broader portfolio of family and relationship services.
• YWCA Australia: National women's services organization delivering DFV housing, advocacy, and case management comparable to DVAC's safety planning and accommodation referral services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DVACIpswichAndToowoomba
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/domestic-violence-action-centre-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/domesticviolenceactioncentre

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Domestic Violence Action Centre INC