experiences amount to abuse, People from culturally and victims as a method of control. linguistically diverse communities Unfortunately people identifying and social isolation. who experience domestic and as LGBTI may also be deterred People with disabilities are also family violence also face additional from seeking help due to past highly vulnerable to domestic barriers to service and support, experience of discrimination or and family violence. Both men such as English language other unhelpful service and women with disabilities are proficiency, knowledge or responses. victims of domestic and family understanding of Queensland’s While older people also violence at much higher rates laws against domestic and family experience violence within than men and women without violence, dependence on a violent couple relationships, they are impairments and women with spouse for their visa status, and more vulnerable to abuse from disabilities experience higher distrust of police and government other family members and from levels of sexual abuse. People authorities based on past trauma. carers. The World Health with disabilities can also Victims with few connections Organisation defines elder abuse experience ‘disability-related’ outside their cultural community as behaviour that causes harm or abuse such as withholding of are particularly vulnerable to social distress to an older person care, denial of access to disability isolation. within a relationship where there aids and threats of is an expectation of trust. This institutionalisation. They can People who identify as lesbian, may involve physical violence, face additional barriers to gay, bisexual, transgender or psychological abuse, financial seeking help for domestic and intersex (LGBTI) may also abuse, social isolation, sexual family violence such as experience violence in their abuse or neglect. Older people dependence on the perpetrator relationships. In addition to the face particular barriers to for basic needs such as access to types of violence and abuse seeking help for elder abuse, food and medication, lack of experienced within relationships including physical disability, ability to earn income, and in the broader community, diminished cognitive functioning, inability to communicate with abusive partners or family lack of awareness that their support services. members may threaten to ‘out’ COMMUNITY INITIATIVE COMMUNITY ACTION Domestic and family violence is already recognised across Queensland as unacceptable. Many dedicated and passionate people and communities have already made elimination of domestic and family violence a priority. It is not possible in these pages to highlight them all, but throughout this strategy some outstanding examples of community action are provided to acknowledge the achievements and inspire others to act.
People from culturally and linguistically diverse communities who experience domestic and family violence also face additional barriers to service and support, such as English language proficiency, knowledge or understanding of Queensland’s laws against domestic and family violence, dependence on a violent spouse for their visa status, and distrust of police and government authorities based on past trauma. Victims with few connections outside their cultural community are particularly vulnerable to social isolation. People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) may also experience violence in their relationships. In addition to the types of violence and abuse experienced within relationships in the broader community, abusive partners or family members may threaten to ‘out’ victims as a method of control. Unfortunately people identifying as LGBTI may also be deterred from seeking help due to past experience of discrimination or other unhelpful service responses. While older people also experience violence within couple relationships, they are more vulnerable to abuse from other family members and from carers. The World Health Organisation defines elder abuse as behaviour that causes harm or distress to an older person within a relationship where there is an expectation of trust. This may involve physical violence, psychological abuse, financial abuse, social isolation, sexual abuse or neglect. Older people face particular barriers to seeking help for elder abuse, including physical disability, diminished cognitive functioning, lack of awareness that their experiences amount to abuse, and social isolation. People with disabilities are also highly vulnerable to domestic and family violence. Both men and women with disabilities are victims of domestic and family violence at much higher rates than men and women without impairments and women with disabilities experience higher levels of sexual abuse. People with disabilities can also experience ‘disability-related’ abuse such as withholding of care, denial of access to disability aids and threats of institutionalisation. They can face additional barriers to seeking help for domestic and family violence such as dependence on the perpetrator for basic needs such as access to food and medication, lack of ability to earn income, and inability to communicate with support services. COMMUNITY INITIATIVE COMMUNITY ACTION Domestic and family violence is already recognised across Queensland as unacceptable. Many dedicated and passionate people and communities have already made elimination of domestic and family violence a priority. It is not possible in these pages to highlight them all, but throughout this strategy some outstanding examples of community action are provided to acknowledge the achievements and inspire others to act.
dfv-prevention-strategy.docx