Violence or abusive behavior is never an acceptable way of dealing with relationship problems. If you are experiencing family and domestic violence, you are not alone – help is available.
If you are concerned for your safety whilst going through family law proceedings, you can contact the family law courts to ask about a safety plan.
When making parenting orders, the court will consider the best interests of the child. The Family Law Act priorities the safety of children by giving greater weight to the protection of children from harm when determining what is in their best interests.
Family and domestic violence support
What is domestic and family violence?
Domestic and family violence happens when one person in a relationship hurts another or makes them feel unsafe
It can happen in any kind of relationship — not just with husbands and wives or boyfriends and girlfriends (intimate partners)
Abuse doesn’t have to involve hurt to your body, or physical violence, to be domestic or family violence.
What forms can domestic and family violence take?
It is never OK for someone in a relationship to:
Hit, kick, and do other things that hurt your body
Touch you in ways or places you don’t want to be touched
Force you to have sex or do sexual things
Say and do things that make you feel scared or unsafe
Take your money or use money to make your life hard
Damage walls, parts of your home, or your things
Tell you they will hurt you, your children, your pets, or people you care about
Say they will hurt themselves if you try to leave
Share private photos or videos of you online without your permission
Stop you from following your religion or cultural practices
Cut you off from friends or family
Refuse to provide essential care and support for you if they are your parent, guardian, carer, or paid support person
Refuse to provide essential care and support for you if they are your parent, guardian, carer, or paid support person
Make looking after a baby hard by not letting you feed or settle your baby
Scare you by following you, harassing you, or refusing to leave you alone
Use the legal system to bully or intimidate you
Stop you from making decisions about whether or not to have a baby, or other reproductive issues
Stop you from having medicine you need or from seeing a doctor
Give you medicine you don’t need or more medicine than you need
These are only some things that domestic and family violence may involve. There are many others. If anyone is making you feel scared, worried or unsafe, it is OK to ask for help.
Who is affected by domestic and family violence?
Domestic and family violence can happen to anyone — that is, a person from any country, religion, sexuality, gender, social background or culture.
It can also happen in any relationship, including with:
Boyfriends, girlfriends, partners, husbands or wives
Ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends, ex-partners, ex-husbands or ex-wives
Carers or paid support workers
Parents, guardians or other family members Adult children
Other people you live with or see often, whether inside or outside the home
None of these people has the right to hurt you or make you live in fear.
