inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence and the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation are pleased to announce a new initiative which sees two of Victoria’s leading community organisations collaborate in a groundbreaking effort to address and eliminate family violence within culturally diverse communities.

The Working Together Strengthening Partnerships to Support Women in the West project aims to fortify partnerships and referral pathways between inTouch, The Western Bulldogs Community Foundation and key community organisations located in Melbourne’s West, including The East African Women’s Foundation (EAWF), and Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association (AVWA).

The Working Together project combines specialist training, community outreach and events, resource development and the creation of safe and inclusive spaces- building the capacity of diverse communities to recognise, respond and refer instances of family violence correctly and appropriately.

A key component of the project is the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation’s long-running Daughters of the West (DOTW) program, a 10-week, free health and wellbeing initiative focused on engaging with women in Melbourne’s West. As part of this project, three DOTW programs will be co-designed and delivered with the Vietnamese and East African communities in Melbourne’s west from July 2023.

With gender equity a key pillar in all DOTW programs, the WB Community Foundation will build on primary prevention core themes to provide culturally appropriate and relevant support and information pertaining to family violence awareness, response and referral.

This sharing of knowledge and expertise also extends to inTouch collaborating directly with workers at the Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association and the East African Women’s Foundation to build their capacity to effectively respond to family violence in their communities.

The urgency of this collaborative effort is highlighted by the alarming increase in family violence incidents across Victoria, amounting to a 5.9% rise since 2021. The Western Metro region of Melbourne, known for its cultural diversity, requires dedicated efforts to address the unique challenges faced by its diverse population.

“We know that, across the board, instances of family violence are still far more under-reported in culturally diverse communities,” inTouch’s Sector and Community Executive Manager, Maryum Chaudhry said. “It is crucial that access to appropriate support services be made available to all individuals experiencing family violence, regardless of their culture, language, visa type or location.”

Commonly, challenges to seeking help can include a lack of understanding regarding the definition of family violence, stigma, cultural pressures around relationships, language barriers, economic restrictions, limited social connections, and the absence of local culturally responsive family violence services.

“We’re thrilled to be able to strengthen our work with and for culturally and linguistically diverse women in Melbourne’s west through the Working Together partnership,” Western Bulldogs’ General Manager of Community and Government Relations, Kashif Bouns, said. “This critical work is at its strongest when approached in partnership with subject matter experts and community champions. It’s a great opportunity for us to be able to use our successful Daughters of the West program as a vehicle for change in this space.”