"Our Ways — Strong Ways — Our Voices": New National Plan and Organisation Launched to Combat First Nations Domestic Violence
A landmark national plan titled "Our Ways — Strong Ways — Our Voices," designed to address domestic violence experienced by First Nations survivors, has been launched in Australia. Concurrently, a new national organization named "Our Ways Strong Together" has commenced operations in Canberra.
Both initiatives are outcomes of a co-design process involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Australian, state, and territory governments, and are supported by $218.3 million in federal funding.
Background and Context
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women face disproportionately higher rates of violence, being 27 times more likely than other Australian women to be hospitalized due to family violence and seven times more likely to be victims of intimate partner homicide. Addressing these disparities is a target within the broader Closing the Gap initiative, which aims to halve family violence rates against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by 2031.
Advocates have stated that the issue of violence is often under-reported, and funding for prevention programs and victim support services has historically been inconsistent and fragmented. Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare indicates that 67% of First Nations people aged 15 and over who experienced physical harm identified a partner or family member as the perpetrator. Aunty Muriel Bamblett noted that current data collection, particularly concerning sexual violence, is inconsistent.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women face disproportionately higher rates of violence, being 27 times more likely than other Australian women to be hospitalized due to family violence and seven times more likely to be victims of intimate partner homicide.
The National Plan: "Our Ways — Strong Ways — Our Voices"
The 10-year roadmap, "Our Ways — Strong Ways — Our Voices," was developed through a collaborative process. Muriel Bamblett, a co-chair of the steering committee, stated that the plan addresses the complexity of family violence and aims to move beyond responding solely to fatalities by securing resources.
The plan acknowledges past issues, focuses on healing and cultural strength, and seeks to address barriers to safety and justice through long-term strategies.
Consultation for the plan involved SNAICC, the peak body for First Nations children, which engaged with over 80 Indigenous organizations and 70 women with lived experience. Key risk factors identified by the plan include trauma, poverty, homelessness, drug and alcohol use, gambling, and mental health issues.
"Our Ways Strong Together" Organisation
The new national organization, "Our Ways Strong Together," is tasked with leading the dedicated First Nations plan. Its objective is to facilitate actionable changes across various policy areas, including policing, courts, housing, child protection, and frontline services. Aunty Muriel Bamblett serves as the inaugural director of "Our Ways Strong Together."
The organization intends to integrate the lived experiences and expertise of First Nations individuals to prevent family, domestic, and sexual violence and to enhance systemic responses.
It will advocate for improved justice system responses, encompassing policing, courts, and human rights considerations. The Aboriginal community-controlled organization plans to collaborate with existing services and adopt a holistic approach, working with housing, health, education, and youth peak bodies through the Coalition of Peaks.
Funding and Services
The federal government has committed $218.3 million in new funding over four years. This allocation is intended to support a network of up to 40 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) in delivering specialized support services. These services include:
- Crisis response teams, with mobile units in remote areas
- Emergency accommodation
- Therapeutic support
- Behavior change and education programs
- Assistance for victim survivors to leave violence safely and receive ongoing support
Racheal Dungay from the Ngarra Aboriginal Corporation stated the plan would enable sustained trauma-informed intervention programs for men and boys, addressing constraints often imposed by short-term funding.
Accountability and Implementation
To ensure accountability, a new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander national peak body for family, domestic, and sexual violence is scheduled to be established. Additionally, First Nations representatives from each state and territory will meet regularly with federal and state government departments to oversee implementation.
Hannah McGlade, an associate professor from Curtin Law School and steering committee member, noted that the plan focuses on specific, targeted reforms led by First Peoples, aligning with community rights for self-determination in driving responses to violence. Dr. McGlade also highlighted that the plan resulted from years of advocacy by Aboriginal women.
The plan focuses on specific, targeted reforms led by First Peoples, aligning with community rights for self-determination in driving responses to violence.
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, stated that "Our Ways Strong Together" will support the achievement of Closing the Gap targets and that strengthening the community-controlled sector is a key component of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.