Safety Children have the right to be safe and protected from violence and abuse in all aspects of their lives—in their homes, at school, in their online activities and in the broader community. Children say that the right to safety is the number one priority for them. While most children in Australia tell us they feel safe, many children experience unacceptable levels of violence, abuse and neglect. For example: • • • • Most violence against children is committed by someone that the child knows, the family being the most common setting. Tragically, every year a small number of children die at the hands of a family member. Children are frequently witnesses and bystanders of violence in the family, commonly violence directed at their mother.1 The family law system could better ensure child safety by adopting a more child-centred approach. Attitudes that support violence still persist among young Australians. Some groups of children are at greater risk of family violence, abuse and neglect. The need for better national, disaggregated data on children’s 11