Early on in her career as a social worker, Kerry Burns undertook a home visit to a farming family.
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A teenage boy was dropping out of school and starting to behave badly.
"I was worried this young person was on the road to criminal activity," Ms Burns said.
"I remember saying to my colleague, 'It's family violence', and she said, 'Oh? I don't think so'.
"I said, 'I think so'. I'd heard a story of him locking himself in the bathroom and the Dad banging on the door with a gun.
"This was in the '90s ... and it drew me to this work, along with people in my social circles being hurt by family violence and sexual assault."
The Centre Against Violence boss of 15 years, now retiring, was 13 when a friend confided in her about a rape.
"We talked about it, but we didn't think about telling adults or going to police - that it was a crime," Ms Burns said.
"When I first began (working at CAV), there was no way most victims of family violence or sexual assault would have spoken up ... remembering in 2003, the remedies weren't strong.
"What's changed since then is that police have this as one of their number one priorities.
"They're understanding it's many harms."
Victoria Police "is now a partner" in the work of Centre Against violence, formerly known as the Upper Murray Centre Against Sexual Assault - established in the early 1990s by a group of people from the North East.
When Ms Burns joined in 2003 as a counsellor-advocate for CASA, the not-for-profit's income was $435,000 and there were four staffers.
Today, there are 45 employees and the centre receives about $6 million.
"In 2005, I became the manager and started lining up family violence and sexual assault services," Ms Burns said.
"Our service is one of only three in Victoria where those two teams are under one roof, and it is so important they are.
"We lobbied (to become a 24/7 service) ... because none of the country services had 24/7 funding.
"We were successful, and I'm still working on that after-hours model.
"We don't have a statewide, sustainable forensic medical team that is paid to be on a roster."
Ms Burns hopes one day there will be a forensic medical service offered to victim-survivors of sexual assault and family violence.
"We can change criminal law piece by piece, but it is not at all victim-centered," Ms Burns said.
"We've seen victim-survivors who have spent a few days in hospital and there's no photographic evidence of the injuries.
"We've got some very high risk cases where the victim survivor hasn't yet reported to police, and it's complex; the intimacy they have with that person is complicated.
"I'd like a system that lets us get that evidence, hold it and then when they're ready, use it.
"It isn't always physical assault history - it's often really high levels of control.
"If we know about that history, we ought to be able to talk about it in court.
"I'm tired of seeing private psychologists paid a heap of money to do assessments."
The Victim's Charter enacted in 2006 (for which there is now a dedicated Commissioner), the introduction of a 'leave local' model - rather than referral of people leaving violence to the statewide refuge system - and the Victorian Royal Commission have been big turning points.
"I was at Wodonga on Monday, and the staff were preparing to support a client in court with a contested intervention order - their preparation and willingness to stand in that contested environment was amazing," Ms Burns said.
"We would have been hesitant some years ago to do that.
"Family law is hopelessly inadequate in terms of recognising children's rights.
"Children who say, 'I don't want to go and see Dad this weekend' will not have that right respected.
"For the system to get to the point where it is limiting a person's visitation, it is highly serious.
"(But) I've seen it in this town and in this month; perpetrators that we've identified as high-risk are using social media to whip up storms of support.
"It's fuelling the flames of his power."
The grandmother of eight thinks "the ordinary person" is becoming aware of these complex issues, but said "we're still not there" in believing victim-survivors.
Society is also still reluctant to connect disrespect and inequality with violence.
"We don't ever talk about women's sexuality ... sexual activity for women is mainly endorsed within a relationship still, and that's not the case for men," Ms Burns said.
"And all of those inequalities build this mix that can become violence, and does become violence."
A type of gendered violence was laid bare in 2007, when Women's Health Goulburn North East researcher Debra Parkinson worked with Ms Burns and others on research into partner rape.
"We held in-depth interviews with 16 women who gave stark accounts of this form of violence against women, and the damaging effect it had on them," Dr Parkinson said.
"Kerry's insight was integral to the influence of this research.
"I remember our discussion about what could be done to bring this well-hidden violence to light, to name men as perpetrators of partner rape, and help women.
"In an instant, she set out 4-steps - ASK, NAME IT, REFER and FOLLOW-UP.
"This formed the basis of postcards so that anyone could help women in this situation.
"More than a decade later, we still use these steps."
Dr Parkinson was saddened to learn that Ms Burns was retiring from her role at CAV, which was "strengthened" under her leadership from her involvement when it was CASA.
"Anyone who works in the violence against women sector faces resistance, hate-speech, and sometimes aggression and abuse, and should be acknowledged," she said.
"This kind of work is not for the faint-hearted - Kerry embodies courage and tenacity.
"We all owe her our deep appreciation."
Ms Burns realised last year "there's no good time to go", and after "a nudge from someone" about a part-time position at Wangaratta District Special School, decided to apply.
She will come full-circle, having been at a respite care facility for children with disabilities before working at NESAY for eight years and completing a social work degree in 2003.
"It will open before Christmas - we've got a highly experienced team of seven ready."
Ms Burns' replacement, which could be announced in August depending on recruitment, will also oversee another unfinished project - the building of a new refuge in Wodonga.
She hopes to still lend a hand to CAV, which held a big send-off for her on Thursday.
A finance officer asked how her partner was feeling about the change.
"I said, 'He's really happy that when we go on a date, the phone won't ring'," Ms Burns laughed.
"But that's part of the job, and one of the commitments.
"If we're working Saturday at 3am, that means the person that needed us at 3am that Saturday got to us."
It doesn't feel like a door has closed on her work with victim-survivors.
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"My goal would be not to forget," Ms Burns said.
"I'm leaving the Centre Against Violence because of my stage in life, but I hope that I can still find a way to continue to be an activist.
"Social justice means everything to me."
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