Speak up and offer support this Domestic Family Violence Prevention Month

While we know that not all domestic and family violence (DFV) is bound by gender, DFV does disproportionately affect women in Australia and our region.

This is illustrated in our regional Women’s health snapshot, which shows that in the 12 month period from 2021-2022, rates of reported DVO breaches rose from 12 to 16 per cent. It found that 77 per cent of DVOs are enacted to protect aggrieved females; 85 per cent of DVO breaches are perpetrated by a male.

May is Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, in line with the Queensland Government’s multi-year plan for the primary prevention of violence against women.

Strides have been made in policy in Queensland to better address, prevent and respond to domestic, family and sexual violence, including legislation passed that both criminalises coercive control and enshrines consent in law. At a community level, this awareness month provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how we might better support victim-survivors.

The Queensland Equal and Together Alliance (QuETA) is a partnership of organisations, businesses and networks that are working across Queensland to build respect and equity across workplaces and communities. Brisbane North PHN’s internal QuETA Working Group meets periodically to discuss strategies to promote equity within our organisation and broader region.

Earlier this year our Brisbane North PHN leadership team engaged Work Haven to deliver DFV training, and we have also implemented no questions asked DFV leave across our organisation.

1800RESPECT is a free, confidential service for people impacted by DFV or sexual violence. If you or someone you know are experiencing violence or abuse, further resources are available online.