Student Information Sheet

Domestic and Family Violence

Domestic and family violence typically involves an abuse of power in an intimate partner relationship. It extends beyond physical violence and may involve the exploitation of power imbalances and patterns of abuse.  Police website

Domestic violence is a crime in Australia, and growing awareness of DV is resulting in higher levels of reporting and greater awareness of the issue is resulting it a greater public support against DV.

DV is commonly understood as a ‘private matter’ and therefore can often resulting in people not seeking help nor discussing their experience. The taboo about DV being a ‘private’ matter is shifting in Australian culture, however there is still much that needs to be done to eradicate DV.

In Australia, women are eight times more likely to experience sexual violence by a partner than men and nearly three times more likely to have experienced domestic and family violence than men.

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) women can be at a higher risk of experiencing sexual, domestic family violence when they are socially isolated, face language barriers or have limited knowledge about their rights. They may fear or distrust the police, government services and courts.

Cultural Sensitives

It is important to consider the cultural and religious backgrounds of individuals when attempting to understanding or assist with occurrences of DV.

In many cultures and religions, men are viewed as the ‘head of the household’. This patriarchal value is deeply entrenched in many cultures. It is culturally insensitive and not beneficial to approach a situation from an outsiders perspective, dictating to someone that their cultural values are wrong, as the may not align with our value system.

How can we help?

It takes time to build trust with communities, especially if approaching from a different cultural background. It is important to provide ongoing, long-term support, which can be achieved through a consistent and understanding presence in community driven programs.