COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Supporting Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Families Affected by Domestic Violence course. This program is designed to equip you with the knowledge, cultural understanding, and ethical frameworks required to respond safely and effectively to domestic and family violence affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in Australia. Grounded in cultural safety and human rights principles, the course sets out clear expectations for trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice that privileges self-determination, community voice, and healing-centred approaches.

This course begins by clarifying what domestic and family violence means in both cultural and legal terms within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts. It explores how patterns of violence are experienced and understood in community settings, the disproportionate rates affecting Indigenous families, and the central role of cultural safety in interpreting behaviours, risks, and help-seeking. Participants will consider the overarching goals of support and intervention—safety, dignity, and lasting change—while situating practice within relevant Australian legal definitions and culturally grounded understandings.

A historical and intergenerational lens frames the learning from the outset. The section examines the ongoing impacts of colonisation, dispossession, and policies that produced the Stolen Generations, tracing how intergenerational and complex trauma can contribute to present-day risks and relationship harms. It also considers the effects of systemic marginalisation on trust in services, access to justice, and the capacity for families and communities to heal, making explicit the links between cumulative trauma and experiences of family violence.

Understanding family and kinship systems is foundational to safe practice. Learners will explore the significance of kinship for identity, care, and decision-making across diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and how these structures differ from Western nuclear family models. The course highlights kinship responsibilities and obligations, including the roles of extended family and community in safeguarding, support planning, and restorative pathways that are culturally congruent.

Cultural concepts of safety and wellbeing are then considered in depth. Participants will examine what “safety” means when understood holistically—encompassing connection to Country, culture, spirituality, and community—as well as the interplay between cultural identity and recovery. The course emphasises that wellbeing extends beyond the absence of harm to include cultural continuity, belonging, and the conditions that allow individuals and families to thrive.

Recognising signs and indicators of domestic and family violence is addressed through a culturally attuned lens. This includes understanding how physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, and financial abuse may present in community settings, as well as community-level indicators such as sudden withdrawal from cultural or community activities. The section also explores the roles of shame, silence, and underreporting, and the practical barriers that can inhibit disclosure, particularly where service responses are not perceived as culturally safe.

Risk factors and vulnerabilities are analysed with attention to structural and contextual realities. This section explores the compounding impacts of poverty, housing instability, unemployment, mental health challenges, and substance misuse, alongside the additional pressures of geographic isolation in rural and remote communities. It also addresses the influence of systemic racism and discrimination on risk exposure, access to support, and outcomes for families.

Barriers to accessing support are examined to inform practical, respectful engagement strategies. Participants will consider the effects of mistrust in mainstream institutions due to historical and contemporary injustices, fears associated with statutory authorities and child removal, and communication barriers related to language and literacy. The course also interrogates how gender roles, community expectations, and lateral violence can shape help-seeking and service engagement, and presents strategies to reduce these barriers.

The legal and policy frameworks relevant to practice are introduced clearly and accessibly. Learners will review key Commonwealth and State/Territory laws and policies related to domestic and family violence, the purpose and operation of family violence orders, and the interfaces with child protection frameworks as they apply in Indigenous contexts. This section also connects practice to human rights standards, including principles reflected in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to ensure responses are lawful, ethical, and rights-affirming.

Cultural safety in practice is set out as a non-negotiable foundation. The course articulates practical principles for culturally safe service delivery, including respectful and context-appropriate communication, relationship-based practice, and work that privileges community-defined needs and strengths. It supports learners to identify and address unconscious bias, reflect on positionality and power, and embed cultural protocols and local knowledge in everyday interactions and decision-making.

Trauma-informed approaches are adapted for Indigenous families and communities. Participants will explore the core principles of trauma-informed care—safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness, and empowerment—while recognising the specific features of intergenerational and complex trauma in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts. The course demonstrates how to tailor strategies to cultural settings, and how to strengthen resilience, cultural identity, and healing through connection to community and Country.

Working with Elders and community leaders is presented as essential to legitimacy, safety, and impact. This section examines the cultural authority of Elders, the value of partnering with respected leaders to guide responses, and how community consultation and co-design can improve trust, participation, and outcomes. It also considers the role-modelling influence of community leaders in prevention, accountability, and community-led healing initiatives.

Supporting women experiencing domestic and family violence is addressed with a focus on empowerment and culturally appropriate advocacy. Learners will examine pathways for safe disclosure, health and housing supports, and safety planning that honours cultural obligations and family realities. The section also explores approaches to addressing shame and stigma, including supports tailored for women with dependent children and the importance of coordinating with culturally safe services and accommodation options.

Supporting men and addressing perpetrator behaviour is approached through accountability, culture, and healing. The course explores cultural expectations of men’s roles, the design and delivery of respectful, evidence-based behaviour change programs for Indigenous men, and the importance of community-led approaches. It addresses how to engage men in prevention, responsibility, and repair in ways that align with cultural values and community safety.

The needs and rights of children and young people are centred throughout. Participants will consider the impacts of domestic and family violence on children’s development, identity, and schooling, and how to balance immediate safety with maintaining cultural connections and continuity. Practical strategies for working with schools, early childhood centres, and youth services are provided, alongside approaches that support resilience, self-worth, and positive identity formation.

Interagency and community collaboration is established as a core feature of effective responses. This section maps coordinated service delivery models and outlines practical ways to build strong partnerships between Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and mainstream services. It emphasises multidisciplinary collaboration—across health, education, child protection, housing, justice, and community services—to ensure coherent, culturally safe, and sustained support.

Prevention and early intervention strategies are explored with a strengths-based, community-driven focus. Learners will consider how culturally grounded education and awareness programs, protective family factors, and connection to Country and cultural activities can reduce risk and build safety. The course highlights early intervention approaches for at-risk youth and families that are designed and led with community input, and that enhance protective cultural identity and belonging.

Finally, the course embeds continuous improvement and best practice as an ongoing commitment. Participants will learn how to evaluate program effectiveness in Indigenous contexts, meaningfully incorporate community feedback, and use data ethically to strengthen practice. This section also fosters innovation and evidence-informed approaches that respect cultural knowledge and aim for sustainable change in safety, wellbeing, and community-defined outcomes.

By the end of this course, you will have a clear, culturally grounded framework for recognising and responding to domestic and family violence affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. You will be equipped to engage respectfully with Elders and community leaders, navigate legal and policy settings, implement trauma-informed and culturally safe strategies, and contribute to prevention, healing, and sustained safety in partnership with communities.

Each section is complemented with examples to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:

1. Introduction to Domestic and Family Violence in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Communities

• Defining domestic and family violence in cultural and legal terms
• Prevalence and disproportionate impacts on Indigenous families
• Importance of cultural safety in understanding DV
• Key goals of support and intervention

2. Historical and Intergenerational Context

• Impact of colonisation and dispossession
• Stolen Generations and intergenerational trauma
• Ongoing systemic disadvantage and marginalisation
• Links between trauma and family violence

3. Understanding Family and Kinship Systems

• Role of kinship in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
• Importance of extended family networks in care and decision-making
• Differences from Western nuclear family models
• Kinship responsibilities and obligations

4. Cultural Concepts of Safety and Wellbeing

• What “safety” means in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts
• Connection to Country, community, and spirituality
• Holistic view of health and wellbeing
• Importance of cultural identity in recovery

5. Recognising Signs and Indicators of Domestic Violence

• Physical, emotional, and financial abuse in cultural settings
• Community-level indicators of family violence
• Impact of shame, silence, and underreporting
• Barriers to disclosure within communities

6. Risk Factors and Vulnerabilities

• Poverty, housing instability, and unemployment
• Mental health challenges and substance misuse
• Geographic isolation in rural and remote communities
• Systemic racism and discrimination

7. Barriers to Accessing Support

• Mistrust of mainstream services due to past injustices
• Fear of child removal and statutory authorities
• Language, literacy, and cultural barriers
• Gender roles and community expectations

8. Legal and Policy Frameworks

• Relevant Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation
• Family violence orders and legal protections
• Child protection frameworks in Indigenous contexts
• Intersection with human rights and UNDRIP principles

9. Cultural Safety in Practice

• Principles of culturally safe service delivery
• Respectful language and communication styles
• Building trust through relationship-based practice
• Acknowledging and addressing unconscious bias

10. Trauma-Informed Approaches for Indigenous Families

• Principles of trauma-informed care
• Recognising intergenerational and complex trauma
• Adapting trauma-informed strategies for cultural contexts
• Supporting resilience and healing

11. Working with Elders and Community Leaders

• Importance of Elders in decision-making and support
• Partnering with respected leaders to build trust
• Community consultation and co-design of responses
• Role modelling and cultural authority in addressing DV

12. Supporting Women Experiencing Domestic Violence

• Empowerment and culturally appropriate advocacy
• Health, housing, and safety planning supports
• Addressing shame and stigma in disclosure
• Supporting women with dependent children

13. Supporting Men and Addressing Perpetrator Behaviour

• Understanding cultural expectations of men’s roles
• Programs for behaviour change in Indigenous men
• Community-led healing initiatives
• Engaging men in prevention and accountability

14. Supporting Children and Young People

• Impacts of DV on Indigenous children’s development
• Balancing safety with cultural identity and connection
• Working with schools, early childhood centres, and youth services
• Supporting resilience and positive identity formation

15. Interagency and Community Collaboration

• Coordinated service delivery models
• Partnerships between Indigenous and mainstream services
• Role of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs)
• Importance of multidisciplinary approaches

16. Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies

• Community education and awareness programs
• Strengthening protective factors in families
• Role of cultural activities, Country, and identity in prevention
• Early intervention programs for at-risk youth

17. Continuous Improvement and Best Practice

• Evaluating effectiveness of DV programs in Indigenous contexts
• Incorporating community feedback into service delivery
• Promoting innovation and evidence-based practice

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.