Governments across Australia know how to stop violence against Indigenous women, they just don’t do it
In inquiries and reviews, governments endlessly ask Indigenous communities what should be done, but rarely act on it. It’s time that changed.
Indigenous women and children in Australia face disproportionately high rates of family violence, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women being killed at a rate up to six times higher than non-Indigenous women, often by intimate partners or family members. Despite numerous inquiries, reviews, and recommendations over the years, the problem persists.
Instead of acting on what Indigenous women, communities, and organizations have consistently recommended, governments continue to rely on consultants and include them in existing systems. This lack of self-determination is a key issue, as it prevents Indigenous people from having genuine authority over responses to violence affecting their communities.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 3 other outlets
- Review urged after blood-spattered shirt ads ran alongside domestic violence news in Australia theguardian.com
- Governments across Australia know how to stop violence against Indigenous women, they just don't do it phys.org
- Australia is responding to domestic violence after the event, not preventing it from happening theconversation.com