08 August 2024
Today the NSW government acknowledged the latest Domestic Violence Death Review Team (DVDRT) Report. What remains unacknowledged, however, is the historic failure to adequately support First Nations and Migrant and Refugee women experiencing domestic violence.
The report confirms concerns held by those working on the frontlines of domestic violence. Almost one-third of all homicides in NSW occurred in a context of domestic violence. Of the known 550 murders resulting from domestic and family violence, 19% of these were First Nations people, who make up just 3.4% of the state’s population. 27% of victims were from migrant and refugee backgrounds, 12% of which were on a temporary visa, meaning they were unable to access supports such as health care and income support.
First Nations and migrant and refugee women are often the invisible victims of domestic and family violence – and left out in state budgets. While emergency funding to address domestic and family violence was announced by the NSW government in May, the DVDRT report highlights that much more must be done to save lives. Frontline domestic and family violence services need a 50% increase in baseline funding to meet demand. Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and services working with migrant and refugee victim-survivors must be prioritised in government procurement processes.
The NSW government acknowledged the emergency funding as simply the start – the DVDRT report clearly shows that additional targeted funding is needed to stop this escalating crisis and better support people experiencing violence who are First Nations or from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
Delia Donovan, CEO of Domestic Violence NSW said:
“These aren’t numbers on a page, these are women and children who deserved more. Funding solutions costs money, but not funding solutions costs lives. We recently wrote to the Treasurer asking for an opportunity to discuss the critical gaps in funding, and we hope now, more than ever, gaps in funding are urgently addressed.”
Delia Donovan continued “the government can’t ignore the data, we need to see investment in Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and migrant and refugee services to ensure no one is left without access to specialised and culturally appropriate support – everyone deserves to be safe.”
Ashlee Donohue, CEO of Mudgin-Gal said:
“It doesn’t make sense. The entire population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this state is 3.4% – Aboriginal women make up less than 2% and yet we are 19% of domestic violence-related murders. That statistic is not just disproportionate – it is shameful. I want the government to make it make sense. Aboriginal women are overly impacted but Aboriginal services remain underfunded.”
Ashlee Donohue continued, “The statistics and the funding just don’t add up. I’m reading the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan and I’m seeing the goal of reducing violence against Aboriginal women by 50% – ONLY 50% by 2031. Now compare that to the National Plan which talks about ending all violence in a generation being 2032. Am I missing something here? The lack of investment, the lack of leadership, the lack of care concerning Aboriginal women’s lives! It reads like systemic racism to me.”
Maha Abdo OAM, CEO of Muslim Women Australia said:
“The horrific statistics in this report serve to further highlight the importance of having specialised services for women from marginalised communities. The data clearly shows that generalised solutions to domestic violence do not work, and there is no ‘one size Fts all’ approach. Specialised support is about being able to provide diversified and tailor-made trauma-informed practice within a specialised framework, acknowledging and inclusive of faith, culture, and community.
We need a primary intervention approach that is client-centred, specialised, and acknowledges the intersecting experiences of women.”