Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

For hundreds of years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have worked hard to care for family and kin. They are also disproportionately affected by domestic and family violence.

Domestic and family violence is not and has never been a part of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander culture. It can happen to anyone. It is not your fault if it happens to you.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women also experience violence from non-Indigenous perpetrators.

Domestic and family violence is not always physical. Read about the types of domestic and family violence.

Facts about domestic and family violence

Domestic and family violence can happen to anyone, anywhere. These are some facts about how it affects people in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities:

• 1 in 5 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experienced physical violence in the past year.
• Around 1 in 8 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experienced sexual violence in the past year.

Compared to non-Indigenous women and men:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 35 times more likely to end up in hospital because of domestic and family violence.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men are 21 times more likely to end up in hospital because of domestic and family violence.

Culturally safe support services

In the ACT there are services that help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with the cultural and healing supports they want and need.

Culturally safe services acknowledge and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s history, and their experiences of domestic, family and sexual violence.

Find support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.