Landmark Ten-Year Strategy Targets Violence Against Indigenous Australians
A comprehensive, decade-long strategy has been unveiled by the federal government, aiming to tackle the devastating rates of family, domestic, and sexual violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. Advocates are hailing the plan as a crucial step towards genuine, community-led change.
The initiative, announced this week, will see a significant investment of over $218 million allocated across the next four years. This funding is earmarked for establishing and bolstering a national network of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs). These ACCOs will be instrumental in delivering specialised support services directly within Indigenous communities, ensuring culturally appropriate and locally driven solutions.
Key Components of the New Strategy:
- Enhanced Support Services: The funding will enable the creation of new and expanded services designed to meet the unique needs of Indigenous communities.
- Remote Area Support: Mobile teams will be deployed to remote and regional areas. Their role will be to provide immediate assistance to families in the aftermath of violent incidents, including crucial emergency accommodation and support.
- Behavioural Change Programs: Targeted outreach programs for men and boys will be a cornerstone of the strategy, focusing on transforming attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate violence against women.
- Culturally Grounded Healing: The plan emphasises the importance of programs that are developed and delivered by Indigenous people for Indigenous people, fostering healing and connection to culture.
Minister for Social Services, Tanya Plibersek, expressed confidence that the specialised programs will deliver tangible improvements. “This plan builds on decades of work, and it builds on decades of calls from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, who have told us that solutions that are designed by them and delivered by them in their communities will make the biggest difference,” she stated. She highlighted how the additional funding will support critical new services, such as assisting women in isolated locations to escape violent relationships safely.
The stark reality of the disparity faced by Indigenous women is underscored by alarming statistics. They are seven times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be killed by a partner and 27 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence. These figures are even more dire in regional areas, where Indigenous women are a staggering 41 times more likely to require hospitalisation as a result of family violence.
Aunty Muriel Bamblett, a co-chair of the steering committee responsible for developing the 10-year plan, emphasised the systemic changes required. “Systems have to change: the court processes, the policing, the way justice is implemented, the way that housing and homelessness, child protection system, all of those things change,” she explained. Aunty Muriel proudly stated, “This plan is the first plan that’s actually written by us, for us, that will bring about real change.”
Catherine Liddle, Chief Executive of the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families advocacy group SNAICC, underscored the plan’s preventative focus. “We know that child removal is often a consequence of unaddressed harm so preventing violence is an important factor in reducing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children entering the out-of-home care system,” she noted. Liddle added, “A child protection system that responds after violence has occurred is not enough. Safety starts earlier, with family support, healing and culturally grounded programs that keep children connected to family and community.”
This initiative represents a significant commitment to addressing intergenerational trauma and empowering Indigenous communities to lead the way in creating safer environments for their women and children. The focus on community control and culturally appropriate services is seen as the most effective pathway to achieving lasting change.
Support Services Available:
- 13YARN: 13 92 76
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
