Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Standard – rules for industry

The Telecommunications (Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Consumer Protections) Industry Standard 2025 sets out minimum enforceable obligations for telcos to support at-risk customers.

Telcos must:

• treat a consumer who discloses sexual violence outside a domestic or family violence situation as an affected person, and provide the same supports (s7)
• check it is safe to engage with affected person and agree on safe and preferred communication method (s8, s10)
• advise affected persons of available domestic, family violence support and discuss support options, including how they can make changes to their account and update their personal information (s11)
• not restrict, suspend or disconnect a service after a customer has sought domestic, family or sexual violence support, unless the customer requests it (ss13(2))
• reverse disconnections, suspensions and service restrictions where a customer makes an urgent request due to a domestic or family violence‑related safety risk, or provide an equivalent service when reconnection is not practical (ss13(3–4))
• before taking credit management action, consider impact on an affected person, whether another person has contributed to the debt, and ensure agreed actions (such as payment plans or extensions) have been implemented (ss13(6))
• not require affected customer to provide evidence of domestic, family or sexual violence (unless required by law or necessary to protect the customer) (s14)
• not require affected customers to interact with an alleged perpetrator, including for account transfers or debt resolution, and not require them to disclose details of the abuse in order to receive support (ss15(1–2))
• offer a warm transfer so affected persons do not have to repeatedly explain their circumstances (ss15(3–4))
• publish clear information on its website about what domestic, family and sexual violence support they offer and how to access it. If the telco does not offer specific support, they must provide contact details and information about accessing such an organisation (s16)
• publish a DFV statement which includes information about how and where consumers can find support, and offer multiple contact channels for affected customers to access support (s17, ss18(1))
• only contact an affected customer at the time requested and using the agreed communication method (ss18(3))
• develop and review policies and procedures to support customers experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence, in consultation with experts and lived‑experience organisations (s19–20, s23–24, s32)
• train staff to recognise and appropriately respond to domestic, family and sexual violence, including specialised training for customer‑facing staff (s21–22)
• protect the privacy and security of affected customers’ accounts and personal information (s25–29)
• maintain and retain records to demonstrate compliance with the Standard (s30–31).

We’ll keep you updated with more information and guidance as these important rules are rolled out. You can also:

• email info@acma.gov.au with questions.
• sign-up to our telecommunications updates.

The ACMA has published its Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Standard: Industry guidance to support telcos in implementing the Standard. The guidance:

• sets out our expectations for compliance with the Standard
• clarifies key concepts
• addresses questions raised by industry
• includes case studies to help telcos understand how to meet their obligations in practice.

Please note: This guidance is not a substitute for legal advice. It aims to help telcos meet their obligations in a way that prioritises consumer safety and security, and explains the ACMA’s expectations where telcos’ discretion applies.

Application to business and not-for-profit consumers

Why does the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Standard apply to businesses and not-for-profit (NFP) consumers?  

The Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Standard is intended to deliver protections for all relevant consumers. 

There may be circumstances where an operator of a small business or NFP may experience, or be at risk of experiencing, domestic or family violence and therefore may need the protections of the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Standard, such as where they are a sole proprietor of a small business. This reflects that perpetrators of domestic and family violence can seek to perpetrate abuse through any means available to them, including through telecommunications services on which the victim-survivor is dependent but not necessarily in an exclusively personal capacity. 

For consistent and effective coverage the ACMA adopted the definition of consumer from the Telecommunications (Financial Hardship) Industry Standard 2024 (the Financial Hardship Standard), which is already used in industry contexts involving domestic or family violence and includes small business and NFPs.

Reconnection and prepaid mobile services

Does the loss of a prepaid mobile service where that service is not recharged at the end of a prepaid period count as a ‘service limiting action’ under subsection 13(3) of the Standard?

No. A service limiting action under subsection 13(3) is when a service provider has restricted, suspended or disconnected a customer’s service. A customer who has failed to recharge their pre-paid service causing an interruption to the provision of their telecommunications service will be able to have their service recommence after recharge. Consequently, we do not consider that the interruption to service caused by a customer’s failure to recharge constitutes a service limiting action by a provider under section 13.  

However, if re-charging the service would not result in recommencement the service would be considered disconnected under subsection 13(3), meaning reconnection under subsections 13(3) or 13(4) would apply.

If a pre-paid service has not been recharged and the consumer requests reconnection due to a domestic or family violence risk, rules under the Financial Hardship Standard may also apply. 

Prohibition on engaging with perpetrator

Can we ask an affected person if they are comfortable engaging with the perpetrator if that will speed up the matter to their benefit? 

No. You cannot ask an affected person to contact or engage with the perpetrator or the perpetrator’s authorised representative for any reason. This includes asking the affected person if they mind doing it to make things quicker or easier. 

Information about domestic or family violence support

What do we tell consumers about domestic or family violence support while policies and procedures are being developed to comply with the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Standard? 

Telcos need to have accessible domestic and family violence statements published by 1 January 2026 for large providers and 1 April 2026 for small providers. 

While you are preparing these statements you are required to publish information (from 1 July 2025) on your website about:

• any domestic or family violence support that you currently offer
• how an affected person can access that support.

If you don’t offer specific domestic or family violence support then you must publish information on your website that includes:

1. where people can direct their requests for support
2. the date when you will have more support in place
3. contact details for a domestic or family violence support organisation.

Domestic or family violence policies

What is meant by ‘inclusive design’ and how would this be reflected in a policy?

Inclusive design means you create your products, services and systems to be used as broadly as possible regardless of a person’s age, ability and circumstances. This process is sometimes called ‘safety by design’.

Consultation with experts can help you develop or refine your policies and procedures with this in mind. Your policy must reflect how you have addressed this in your systems, processes and products.

This is important so that a person experiencing domestic or family violence can have confidence that by engaging with you or accessing your services or products they are less likely to be exposed to avoidable and unintended risks or harm. 

Training

When providing organisation-wide training to staff, what is meant by ‘personnel who are indirectly involved with consumers in Australia’?

This refers to staff, including senior and upper management staff, who may not deal directly with consumers but whose work may play a role in supporting affected consumers. It also refers to staff who may encounter domestic or family violence issues indirectly, such as product and systems development, information technology and human resources.

It is not expected that roles with no association or influence over the outcomes for consumers in Australia receive training, for example, office cleaners or building maintenance staff.

Consultation

Can I use the Australian Telecommunications Alliance’s DFV Guideline to fulfil the requirements for consultation?  

No. You must consult with the relevant experts as outlined in ss 32(1) of the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Standard. These are:

• a national or state-based domestic and family violence support service or organisation; and
• either a panel with lived experience or a national or state-based organisation representing a group disproportionately affected by domestic and family violence.

However, the DFV Guideline could be used as a resource in developing draft policies, procedures and specialised training before consultation with the relevant experts.

How does consultation via an industry body work?

Industry bodies can consult with domestic or family violence experts on behalf of small providers. The ACMA cannot compel an industry body to do this consultation to assist small providers.

Where an industry body chooses to undertake consultation it must be with the entities listed at ss32(1). Small telcos may then use the results of that consultation as an alternative to doing their own when developing their DFV policy, procedures and training.

For example, the industry body may consult on newly developed templates for domestic and family violence policies that are compliant with the Standard. A small telco can use that template as a base to customise its own DFV policy.

Small providers should note they are not obliged to consult via an industry body. They may choose to consult directly with the domestic and family violence experts themselves.

However, large providers are required to consult directly with domestic and family violence experts on their individual policies, procedures and training. 

Can large providers use industry body templates and training modules if they have been prepared in consultation with experts?

Yes. However, large providers must still consult with the specified experts directly on their individual domestic or family violence policies, procedures and training.

Telco Together Foundation Industry Insight Forum 30 June 2025 – watch the video.