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Domestic and family violence

Domestic and family violence statistics

4
Times an Aboriginal youth is more likely to be a victim of domestic violence than their white peer [3].
1.8
Times an Indigenous baby is more likely to be neglected or abused [6].
40%
Percentage Indigenous children make up of all hospital admissions in the age group 0 to 4 who are admitted for assault [6].
1,500
Number of people admitted to Alice Springs hospital between 1998 and 2005 with stab wounds. In 2007 Alice Springs was said to have the highest number of stabbings in the world [14].
$13.6bil
Estimated cost of all domestic violence against women and their children to the Australian economy in 2008-9 [19].
53%
Percentage of criminal cases where the offender was known to the victim. Percentage of these cases where the offender was the spouse: 69% [23].
5%
Percentage of women experiencing violence from a current partner and reporting the last incident to police [4].
45
Times an Aboriginal women living in rural and remote areas is more likely to experience domestic violence than her white peer [3].
2.6
Average number of women per day seeking treatment for domestic violence related injuries in Alice Spring (between 2000 and 2006) [5].
93%
Percentage of surveyed Aboriginal respondents who believe domestic violence is a crime. 98% of non-Indigenous respondents believed so [18].
20%
Percentage by which Aboriginal Australians are more likely to commit offences of violence than their non-Indigenous counterparts [22].

We used to hide in the cupboard at night; so that it wouldn't be our turn. —Marjorie Woodrow, Aboriginal woman [7]

A definition of 'domestic violence'

According to the Victorian Government domestic violence could be defined as follows:

Domestic violence is the physical, emotional, sexual, social, spiritual, cultural, psychological and economical abuse that occurs within families, intimate relationships, kinship networks and communities. —Victorian Government definition [9]

Domestic violence extends to one-on-one fighting, abuse of Indigenous community workers and self-harm, injury or suicide.

But 25% of surveyed Australians did not believe that controlling a partner by denying them money was a form of domestic violence. 15% did not agree that controlling the social life of a partner by preventing them from seeing friends or family constitutes domestic violence [18].

Causes of domestic violence

Court circles, police ranks and politicians fear an "epidemic" of domestic violence [5]. But what are the root causes of domestic violence or any other violent behaviour?

It is widely recognised that there is no single cause of violence in Indigenous communities [22]. Among others, one theory claims that initial European colonisation and dispossession plays a crucial role. Alcohol is another.

Many Aboriginal people who, as kids, were stolen from their parents and put into missions were held there against their will and physically and psychologically abused. Their suffering was a seed of violence.

Aged ten Bill Simon was taken away from his parents and witnessed violence in an Aboriginal mission first hand. Boys were beaten with cane sticks and put into solitary confinement.

"Words of comfort for the bleeding boy behind the door were usually not much comfort. Time spent in that room was always associated with pain and loneliness and nothing anyone said could help. A few of the boys were often very angry and sometimes violent when they were locked up in there." [13]

Unable to express their anger these boys suppressed their violence for many years only for it to come back eventually.

Similarly, when children witness their parents fighting, moving around and eventually breaking up, the only way they can express their sadness is through anger and violence.

Causes of, and risk factors for, domestic violence might be [1,3,22]

The true prevalence of Aboriginal family violence is unknown. What is known is that the violence is endemic and presents an extremely troubling picture of the situation in many Aboriginal communities. —Conclusion of the Gordon Inquiry Report on family violence

I don't explode any more, but I still have that anger. I'm only glad I've had music. So many of my brothers and uncles have gotten lost in that anger. —Archie Roach, Aboriginal singer and songwriter [20]

Domestic violence is a problem that tragically affects all communities... some are just better at hiding it than others. —Paul Stephens, Midwest League President [21]

Male violence and the Inteyerrkwe Statement

In 2008 Aboriginal men gathered to discuss how they could prevent domestic violence and why Aboriginal men were violent. They also tried to explain the background of male domestic violence [8,10]:

Patrick Dodson said that "there has been a process of undermining the role and status of Aboriginal men within our society since the early days of Australia's colonisation and continuing in recent commentary around the Northern Territory intervention."

Chairman of the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress John Liddle adds that "when you add to this the rapid changes in the role of males within that colonising society and the consequent dislocation of non-Aboriginal males and their struggle to define new self-images, it is no wonder that Aboriginal males may struggle to make sense of the contemporary world."

"And if those critical views of us as Aboriginal males are expressed with no effort to understand our cultural values, or the pressures caused by the colonial relationships and contemporary social transformations, then we become alienated from this society."

"This alienation is at the core of the struggle for male health and well-being, as it acts to debase men, stripping away their dignity and the meaning in their lives. We therefore need to confront these social relationships that shape our health."

Nearly 400 Aboriginal men took part in the gathering and issued the Inteyerrkwe Statement, an apology from men to women for violence and abuse.

Inteyerrkwe Statement

"We the Aboriginal males from Central Australia and our visitor brothers from around Australia gathered at Inteyerrkwe in July 2008 to develop strategies to ensure our future roles as grandfathers, fathers, uncles, nephews, brothers, grandsons, and sons in caring for our children in a safe family environment that will lead to a happier, longer life that reflects opportunities experienced by the wider community.

We acknowledge and say sorry for the hurt, pain and suffering caused by Aboriginal males to our wives, to our children, to our mothers, to our grandmothers, to our granddaughters, to our aunties, to our nieces and to our sisters.

We also acknowledge that we need the love and support of our Aboriginal women to help us move forward."

Most Indigenous people are not violent, even though many live in communities where violence is endemic and are subjected to violence and systemic social disadvantage without becoming offenders themselves. —Joy Wundersitz, study author [22]

Note that the Inteyerrkwe Statement was carefully worded. It uses 'males' and not 'man' or 'men' so as to avoid confusion about 'men' as initiated males [23].

Domestic violence is passed on

Domestic violence is ultimately passed on to children who are born into and grow up in violent families.

The first three years of a child's life have the greatest capacity to change the way the brain develops. The brains of children who have been traumatised by abuse or violence develop to be hypervigilant and focused on non-verbal cues, potentially related to threat. These children are in a persistent state of arousal and, therefore, experience persisting anxiety. [3]

"I read the files of children who have died in suspicious circumstances, following neglect and abuse," reveals Linda Burney, NSW Community Services Minister and Wiradjuri woman [16]. "There is hardly a file where Mum or Dad wasn't a victim of abuse. This inter-generational passing on of violence and abuse is deeply worrying."

Too often Indigenous men have been dispossessed and have suffered overwhelming losses of respect and human dignity resulting in a toxic legacy being handed from father to son.—Marcelle Hoff, Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor [15]

Effects of domestic violence

The consequences of family violence are devastating. People suffer from [3]

Domestic violence case

Victims of domestic violence often suffer from multiple assaults which might threaten their lives. Here's a description of a case which lasted over three years [2]:

[Over several months, her partner] stabbed Ms B. all over her body with a chisel and a fork. He hit her on the head with an iron bar and bashed her between the legs with a baseball bat. He burnt her feet with a branding iron, broke her jaw and created a deep gash across her leg with a broken plate. He held her captive while raping her.

Police and justice reactions to such cases are often slow. In this particular case evidence had been obtained by police two years after the violence started, but Ms B.'s partner wasn't convicted until five years after the torture began.

The victim also complained that she felt "more like a victim [because] she was repeatedly accused of fabricating, self-inflicting injuries and provoking [her partner]". One wonders what would have happened if the victim had been a white woman.

Why victims don't lay charges

Some Aboriginal women are very reluctant to lay charges against their violent partners.

Fear is omnipresent, and many times the violent partners accompany their victims to the hospital, inflicting further harm to them when they leave for home again. This makes many victims not pursue their earlier complaints or even renouncing them.

If you charge someone it changes your life completely. There is fear that you need to overcome. Although you are the victim, you are always on alert to being ostracised by your own community not accepting the truth. —domestic violence victim

Many also carry a deep distrust of police officers which is a key barrier to Aboriginal people reporting violence and abuse.

Sometimes, however, Aboriginal women simply don't want to have their violent partners arrested and jailed. They simply want the violence to stop [12].

When asked why [she didn't want to press charges she] said that she loved her partner and didn't want him sent to jail. She just wanted the violence to stop. —domestic violence victim [12]

'Domestic Violence—it's not our game' initiative

White Ribbon Day against domestic violence White Ribbon Day was first declared on 25 November 1999 by the United Nations General Assembly. It is a day where people of all walks reject domestic violence and symbolise this by wearing a white ribbon.

A successful initiative sees AFL and NRL teams throughout New South Wales and Victoria reduce domestic violence.

The 'Domestic Violence—it's not our game' initiative was conceived in March 2007 and aimed to tackle domestic violence in the Normanton community, a remote community of 1,500 people in Queensland's far north-west [17].

Queensland north-west region has the highest domestic violence statistics in the state and before the campaign began, Normanton had some of the highest rates in the region.

Members of the football teams agree to act as role models and agree to exclude from games any player involved in domestic violence. They wear the slogan on their clothes and equipment.

Domestic violence incidents dropped by 55%, breaches of domestic violence orders dropped by 64% and domestic violence is no longer accepted in the community.

Since Normanton the initiative has spread into more than 14 football clubs throughout Australia and New Zealand.

As much as men have contributed to violence against women and children, it is men and women working together that will be the source of healing.—Grahame 'Bonny' Gibson, Co-ordinator Spirited Men's Program, Murray Bridge, SA [19]

I want to be free - A song about family violence

If you want to be with me
Show me that you love me
Don't get wild, don't get jealous
Hey man be true to me
Don't destroy my life, my spirit
I'm not a slave, I'm not a rag doll
To be toyed with by you

	       Chorus
	       I want to be free
	       Free as a bird
	       But I'm still fighting for our freedom
	       Us women need to be strong inside to fly
	       We gotta stand up for our freedom

So be kind, treat me like a wife
Don't lock me in the room
I don't want to be suffocated
Don't want to be punched or bashed by you
And if I say I don't want to be with you
It's time for you to leave
It's time for you get out of my life
Don't abuse my body please

	       Chorus
	       I want to be free
	       Free as a bird
	       But I'm still fighting for our freedom
	       Us women need to be strong inside to fly
	       We gotta stand up for our freedom

This song was written by girls from Warburton High School and Primary School, Melbourne, Victoria and published in the Gordon Inquiry Report [3].

Domestic and family violence helplines

New South Wales

DoCS Domestic Violence Line 1800 656 463 freecall, 24 hours

Rape Crisis Centre 02 9819 6565, 24 hours

Women's and Girls' Emergency Centre 02 9360 5388

South Australia

Nunga Miminis Shelter 8223 2200, after hours, call Crisis Care on 13 1611 (Support and emergency accommodation for Aboriginal women and children who are victims of domestic violence. Service available 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday)

Australian Capital Territory

Domestic Violence Crisis Service 02 6280 0900

Out of respect for Aboriginal culture I use Indigenous sources as much as possible.
[1] Antar newsletter 8/2006 [2] Sydney Morning Herald 18/12/2006] [3] Gordon Inquiry Report 2001 [4] Two Ways Together Report June 2005 [5] Koori Mail 390 p.47 [6] Koori Mail 394 p.16 [7] in: 'Hard Labour, Stolen Wages', Rosalind Kidd, ANTaR report August 2007, p.7 [8] 'Historic apology at Male Health Summit', Koori Mail 430 p.12 [9] 'Plan targets violence', Koori Mail 430 p.50 [10] ''We're not all bastards'', NIT 10/7/2008 p.6 [11] 'Race rapist to be released from jail', NIT 26/6/2008 p.7 [12] 'No to violence', Koori Mail 444 p.21 [13] 'A long way from home', Sydney Morning Herald, 23/5/2009 [14] 'Decision a 'matter of principle'', Koori Mail 452 p.5 [15] 'Sydney men's program wins plenty of praise', Koori Mail 452 p.31 [16] 'West has some of our very best', Koori Mail 448 p.42 [17] 'Stingers star in TV commercial', Koori Mail 448 p.78 [18] 'Attitudes changing: DV survey', Koori Mail 465 p.16 [19] ''My oath,' says footy legend', Koori Mail 464 p.9 [20] 'Album takes us back to 1988', Koori Mail 464 p.39 [21] 'Game to speak out', Koori Mail 473 p.30 [22] 'Report links grog to Indigenous violence', Koori Mail 474 p.39 [23] 'Promise to stop violence', Koori Mail 477 p.29

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