This page provides essential information and resources tailored to the unique needs of individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. Here, you’ll find resources that address various aspects of family violence with a focus on culturally sensitive approaches and practical tools.
For more information and resources about working with CALD communities in the context of family violence, visit the InTouch or 1800RESPECT websites.
Resources for Practitioners
- Family Safety Pack: The Australian Government’s Family Safety Pack, available in 22 community languages, has information on Australia’s laws regarding domestic and family violence, sexual assault, forced marriage and Partner Visas.
- Cultural competence when working with CALD communities A 1800RESPECT video guide.
- Window of opportunity: cultural misunderstanding A 1800RESPECT video guide.
- Challenging myths about culture and violence in migrant and refugee communities Fact Sheet
- Misidentification of migrant and refugee women Migrant and refugee women are around three times more likely to be misidentified as the predominant aggressor in family and domestic violence cases than their Australian-born counterparts.
- Health Information Translation A free online library of high-quality translated Australian health and wellbeing information. Made for Australian health practitioners and people working with culturally and linguistically diverse communities, the site provides quick access to reliable resources. Search by language, topic, organisation, format or keyword to find in-language health information fast.
- Resource Sheet – Key organisations working with CALD families This CFCA resource sheet is a directory of key organisations and resources for practitioners and service providers working with families and children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
- Peninsula Community Legal Centre – Supporting clients on temporary visas experiencing FV to safely leave relationships and get migration assistance – Guide to Safety Tool
- Understanding Coercive Control – Comprehensive Guide for Family Violence Service Providers aimed at professionals supporting victims of family violence and offers in-depth insights into the dynamics of coercive control within migrant and refugee communities. It includes strategies for identifying coercive control, culturally sensitive intervention, tools for supporting women effectively, and information on the specific expressions of coercive control in these communities.
- Forced marriage in the context of family violence – a tip sheet that provides information to help family violence practitioners understand what forced marriage is, the signs to look out for, and ways to support someone who has experienced forced marriage.
Resources for Clients
- Peninsula Legal Community Centre Video on coercive control and on how to access some of the major support services (Dari subtitles)
- River Nile Learning Centre Developing essential English language, literacy, numeracy, life and work skills for young refugee and asylum seeker women. Services include childcare for students who are young mums, welfare support to resolve complex personal issues for students, and individualised learning and support
- Understanding Coercive Control – Simple English Guide for Migrant and Refugee Women offers clear, accessible information to help migrant and refugee women recognise coercive control, take practical measures to stay safe, document evidence, and seek support.
General Resources and Research
- Hearing Her Voice: A report from the kitchen table conversations held with CALD women in every state and territory between October 2014 and March 2015.
- In My Voice Videos The goal of the vignettes is to start conversations amongst communities and service providers. Each vignette tells a different story but together as a group of vignettes, they paint a diverse picture of DFV in migrant and refugee communities.
- Understanding the mental health and help-seeking behaviours of refugees This short article identifies the factors affecting help-seeking behaviours among refugee families and outlines how practitioners can better support this vulnerable group during the resettlement process.
- Enabling social supports for humanitarian migrants This webinar discusses the benefits of social support in the early stages of resettlement to long-term mental health and wellbeing. It is designed to help practitioners who are not from specialised settlement services contribute to building social and community connections for recently arrived humanitarian migrants.
- Cultural considerations to support children from migrant and refugee backgrounds This webinar, co-produced by CFCA and Emerging Minds, explores the importance of ‘culturally competent’, ‘culturally curious’, and ‘child-focused’ practices. It is designed to assist practitioners who work with migrant and refugee children and families in health, education, social and community services.