professional qualifications in counseling and therefore there is widespread danger of greater harm to victims and continued violence as opposed to the intended aim of prevention, no matter how wellmeaning it is. “One of the most critical things we need, even at SVSG, is counselors with enough knowledge and experience to deal with situations. We need these people to discuss issues and reflect on what happened because that is the only way you can move on.” Siliniu Lina Chang, President SVSG, Inquiry public hearings INQUIRY FINDING 41: Non-government organisations play a substantial and admirable role in meeting the need not currently being met by Government. However, greater accountability, coordination, training and data collection is required for increased effectiveness and to ensure victims of family violence receive the relevant care to a required standard. 10. Triggers and Other Contributing Factors The Inquiry has so far identified some of the key causes of family violence and the reasons why it is allowed to continue and flourish. The following chapter considers three areas which could more accurately be described as triggers rather than root causes and two areas considered to be a contributing factor. The three triggers are, alcohol, financial pressures, and anger management and jealousy, whilst the other contributing factors are technology and development. It is important to make the distinction because wrongly ascribing triggers as root causes can help to advance the culture of impunity for perpetrators of family violence by providing an excuse for why they carried out certain acts. It is not acceptable to say ‘I only hit my wife because I was drunk’. Alcohol is not a cause of family violence but can sometimes (and by no means always) be a trigger. Regardless, triggers and other contributing factors should also be considered and addressed which will also help reduce the prevalence of family violence. 10.1 Alcohol There are two considerations in relation to alcohol and the role it plays in family violence. The first is to detail how it is wrongly attributed as a root cause, thereby allowing perpetrators to avoid responsibility and instead ‘blame it on the booze’ and the second is to assess the extent to which it is a trigger of family violence. Extensive research has been carried out worldwide on the role of alcohol in family violence, and violence in general, and it is commonly accepted not to be a cause but a trigger, and should be treated as such.