Safe from Harm: Our commitment to the Aboriginal community

We know that Aboriginal women and children in Victoria are disproportionally impacted by family violence, and that this violence can be perpetrated by men of all cultural backgrounds.⁴

The Victorian Family Violence Protection Act 2008 recognises that, for Aboriginal people, family members include people considered relatives under traditional or social practice.⁵

As signatories to the Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way agreement, Victoria Police is also committed to working together with Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal services and government to ensure Aboriginal people are stronger, safer, thriving and living free from family violence.⁶

As an organisation we will focus our efforts to support all Aboriginal victim survivors to feel confident in Victoria Police’s response to family violence, sexual offences and child abuse.

Aboriginal communities

We will engage through:

• Yoorook Justice Commission
• Aboriginal Justice Forum
• Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum
• Aboriginal Portfolio Reference Group.

We are committed to:

• Reducing misidentification of Aboriginal women as predominant aggressors and strengthening rectification actions
• Ensuring our tools and processes are culturally-sensitive
• Building our capability to provide trauma-aware responses to Aboriginal people
• Expanding the Police and Aboriginal Community Protocols Against Family Violence sites across Victoria
• Improving responses to Aboriginal children and young people
• Increasing workforce diversity and inclusion
• Listening and learning from Aboriginal victim survivors and advocates
• Embedding Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training for all Victoria Police employees and refresher training development.
  
  

^{4 Strong foundations: Building on Victoria’s work to end family violence, Department of Fairness, Families and Housing (DFFH), 2023, Melbourne, Australia}

^{5 Family Violence Protection Act (Vic) (2008), State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia}

^{6 Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way – Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families, 2018, Department of Health and Human Services, Melbourne Australia}