We host a growing international network of:
- Researchers and academics
- Professionals, including social workers, psychologists, paediatricians, psychiatrists, general practitioners, judges, solicitors, coroners, nurses, and other services staff
- Media and policy specialists
- Individuals affected by filicide
To join, please submit your name, organisation, and reason for joining. Researchers are encouraged to briefly summarise their filicide-related work. Your privacy will be respected, and you may opt out at any time.
📩 Email us at: info@addressingfilicide.org
Why It Matters
The Monash Deakin Filicide Research Hub aims to reduce child deaths through evidence-informed prevention. Our work:
- Identifies and maps key risk factors
- Supports early intervention and service reform
- Informs child protection and justice policy
- Promotes collaboration across disciplines and borders
For collaboration or data access, please contact:
📧 info@addressingfilicide.org
International Conference Series
After our first two studies, we launched an international conference series to foster interdisciplinary and cross-country communication on this difficult topic. The aim: to grow research-based knowledge, build partnerships, and influence policy. Four conferences were held between 2013 and 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily paused the series.
1. Inaugural International Conference — Prato, Italy | 30–31 May 2013
Theme: Cross-National Dialogue
Overview: 53 delegates from 13 countries explored legal, clinical, and sociological approaches to filicide, neonaticide, and prevention.
Keynotes: Julia Stroud, Myrna Dawson, Peter Jaffe
📄 [Flyer & Abstract Booklet]
📄 [Full Program & Abstracts]
2. Addressing Filicide: Moving to Prevention — Prato, Italy | 3–4 June 2015
Theme: Evidence-Informed Prevention Strategies
Overview: Sessions explored national studies, service response frameworks, and risk identification.
📄 [Conference Report]
📄 [Flyer / Programme]
📄 [Delegate List & ANZSOC Newsletter]
3. Building Bridges to Intervention Models — Prato, Italy | 14–15 June 2017
Theme: From Knowledge to Action
Highlights:
- Growth of international filicide databases
- Risk factor frameworks
- Survivor-centred approaches
📄 [Call for Abstracts Flyer]
📄 [Conference Flyer & Report]
4. Fourth International Conference — Australia | 2019
Theme: Global Dialogue on Filicide
Overview: Brought the international series to Australia, expanding engagement across the Asia–Pacific.
📄 [Conference Flyer & Program]
📄 [Conference Materials]
Though the pandemic halted our in-person events, the Hub continued to work behind the scenes. The planned 2021 conference was cancelled due to COVID-related travel disruption, but our impact remained global.
The 2019 conference in Australia enabled greater regional participation, leading to broader influence across Asia–Pacific. Notably, Save the Children Korea hosted a related symposium in 2023, with contributions from the Hub and international scholars from South Korea, Canada, Germany, and Japan. The event focused on filicide–suicide and led to a formal government policy submission.
We also completed our follow-up Victorian Filicide Study (2009–2019), presented at the 2024 International Conference on Social Work and Mental Health. A peer-reviewed article based on the findings will be published in Children Australia (July 2025).
Additionally, the Hub collaborated on a special research collection in Frontiers in Psychology (2022–2023), featuring articles from Malaysia, Ghana, South Africa, Australia, and more. These works highlight common risk patterns, cultural contexts, and prevention strategies.
- Editorial: The Challenge of Understanding and Preventing Filicide
- Articles from Malaysia, South Africa, Ghana, and others
🔗 Search “filicide” at Frontiers in Psychology
Other notable national studies and developments:
- ANROWS (2024): Filicides in Domestic and Family Violence Contexts
- QFCC (2022): Studies on child fatality red flags in Queensland
- UNE (2023): Media portrayals of family murder–suicides
- Greece (2023): First national study on intrafamilial child homicides
The international scope and cross-disciplinary collaboration reflect the Hub’s commitment to building a robust global evidence base. Our redesigned website serves as a knowledge-sharing tool to help prevent future tragedies.
- Interdisciplinary exchange: Connect with leading researchers, practitioners, and survivors
- Global perspectives: Learn from international case studies
- Prevention focus: Engage in sessions on early identification, service reform, and support pathways
- Resource access: Receive conference toolkits, reports, and delegate summaries