Driving family violence reform through lived experience storytelling

Content warning: The following information discusses child sexual abuse, exploitation, and abuse material, which may be distressing. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000 (Australia) or local emergency services. Support is available via 1800RESPECT (1800 806 292) or by visiting 1800respect.org.au.

Following the Royal Commission into Family Violence, the Victorian Government established the Victim Survivor Advisory Council (VSAC), a group of individuals bringing lived experience directly into system reform.

Portable worked with Family Safety Victoria to produce a series of short documentary films featuring VSAC members, each designed to centre the individual while contributing to a broader narrative of reform.

For these voices to influence change beyond the room, they needed to be shared in a way that was safe, respectful, and true to each person’s story.

Each participant brought a deeply personal experience of family violence shaped by different circumstances, identities, and outcomes. Capturing these stories required a process that could prioritise emotional safety and consent at every stage, while giving participants control over how their story was told and translating lived experience into narratives that could inform policy and public understanding.

The storytelling approach was deliberately shaped around the needs of participants. Each film was:

• participant-led, allowing individuals to guide how their story was shared
• carefully facilitated, creating a safe environment for reflection and control
• grounded in authenticity, avoiding scripting in favour of real voice and lived experience

Rather than imposing a narrative, Portable’s role was to create the conditions for stories to emerge and then shape them into clear, respectful films that could be used across government communications, events, and public platforms.

The result was a series of distinct but connected stories, each contributing to a deeper understanding of family violence and its systemic impacts.

The films extended the reach of VSAC beyond advisory settings bringing lived experience into broader conversations about policy, services, and reform.

They helped:

• humanise complex system challenges
• inform stakeholders and decision-makers through real experiences
• recognise the contribution of survivors as active participants in change

Most importantly, they provided participants with a way to share their stories on their own terms supporting a process that was not only informative, but empowering.