Family and domestic violence

Family and domestic violence is a major health and welfare issue across Australia. It can impact all people, of all ages, from all backgrounds, but mainly impacts women and children.

Family and domestic violence is not always physical. Financial abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, and coercive control can be less obvious, but just as harmful as physical violence. All forms of family violence can cause immediate and long-term harm to victim-survivors as well as others, especially children, who witness it.

Gender inequality and inequity in Australia provide the underlying conditions for violence against women. Many of the drivers of family violence are “societal”, and how we, as a community and as individuals, respond to gender inequity and gender stereotypes can be a powerful force for change.

Family and domestic violence interacts with every other social justice issue in this report. It is the most prevalent reason women access homelessness services at The Salvation Army and is a major driver in youth homelessness. Experience and study also demonstrate that family and domestic violence is a significant cause of poverty for those who experience it. Addressing the causes of family and domestic violence will have a flow-on effect in preventing other harm and injustices experienced by victim-survivors across Australia.