Family Violence Prevention and Support

The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council is committed to the prevention of family violence and gender-based violence. Everyone has a role to play in ending and preventing violence in our community so we can all feel safe, equal and respected. This page includes a list of support services for people experiencing family violence, alongside information on family violence and how we can prevent it.

If you're in immediate danger

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000.

If you or someone you know is experiencing or at risk of experiencing family violence, please call Orange Door on 1800 634 245 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm) or 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (24 hours, 7 days a week).

What is family violence?

Family violence (also known as domestic violence, intimate partner violence, coercive control, online abuse, stalking, sexual harassment, street harassment and sexual assault) is any violent, threatening, coercive or controlling behaviour that occurs in current or past family or family-like, domestic or intimate relationships. The behaviour aims to make the person experiencing violence afraid for their safety and wellbeing or for the safety of someone they know.

Children and young people who experience or witness violent behaviours are also victims and this can greatly affect their health and wellbeing.

Family violence and gender-based violence, including violence against women can be experienced through both physical and non-physical forms that can include emotional, sexual, social, financial, technology-related, or spiritual abuse.

Family violence is not your fault, and there is support available for you.

Focusing on gender-based violence and the prevention of violence against women

Family violence can happen to anyone, however evidence from OurWatch shows that in most cases in Victoria, family violence is perpetrated by men against women. Regardless of gender, 95% of victims of all violence, experience violence from a male perpetrator.

  • One in four women experience intimate partner violence, compared to one in 13 men.
  • Two in five women (39%) have experienced violence since the age of 15.
  • Family violence and/or intimate partner violence is the leading cause of serious injury, disability and death for women aged 15 – 45 in Australia.

Like women, certain groups, identities, and communities in Australia are at a higher risk of experiencing violence due to overlapping forms of discrimination and disadvantage.

  • Women with disability in Australia are twice as likely to have experienced sexual violence over their lifetime than those without disabilities.
  • Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander women are 31 times more likely to hospitalised due to family violence than non-indigenous women.
  • Lesbian, bisexual and queer women experience higher rates of sexual violence than heterosexual women in Australia.
  • Young women (18–34 years) experience significantly higher rates of physical and sexual violence than women in older age groups.
  • Women from migrant and refugee backgrounds are vulnerable to financial abuse, reproductive coercion and immigration related abuse.

Support Services

Remember, this is not your fault. If you or someone you know needs help, there is a wide range of family violence support services available.

For anyone experiencing violence the following organisations offer support and counselling services via telephone, online and in person:

Support for women and families

The Orange Door – Bayside Peninsula is a free service, providing access to support and services for people at risk, including for family and domestic violence or abuse, and for families needing extra support with the wellbeing and development of children. Available for both Frankston City and Mornington Peninsula Shire council areas.

Call: 1800 319 353
Email: bpa@orangedoor.vic.gov.au

Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre is a Victorian state-wide service providing telephone support, information, referral, safety planning and risk assessment, and crisis accommodation for women and children experiencing family violence. Free service, 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Call: 1800 015 188

1800 RESPECT  can support people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing family violence. They provide confidential information and counselling and can provide a referral to other services. The service is also available for workers and friends and family who need advice. Free service, 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Call: 1800 737 732

Good Shepherd helps with specialist domestic and family violence recovery, crisis and housing services and works closely with emergency and protection services. They can provide individualised support and connect you to legal services, financial assistance, counsellors, support groups and housing services.

Call: (03) 5970 5700

Anglicare Victoria's Beyond the Violence program helps families establish safety, rebuild relationships and move forward with their lives after violence. This 8-week program is for non-offending parents and their children who have experienced family violence.

Call: 1800 809 722 or (03) 9412 6133

South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault & Family Violence (SECASA) is a specialist sexual assault and family violence service, which provides various support services for victim survivors and affected family members, including free counselling and crisis response.

Call: 1800 806 292

VincentCare Victoria's family violence programs provide advocacy and support to women and children escaping family violence to support them to live safely and independently in the community. Based on the Bayside Peninsula, VincentCare provides refuge accommodation and information on future housing options, as well as referrals to specialised counselling, court support, and material and financial assistance.

Call: (03) 9611 9200
Email: vincentcare@vincentcare.org.au

Family Life  helps people address and overcome the trauma of family violence through individual counselling, programs for parents and children such as Strength2Strength (for children and parents who are survivors of family violence).

Call: (03) 8599 5433
Email: info@familylife.com.au

wayss  provides family violence and homelessness support services across Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia Shire areas. We are united in the belief that all people should have a life free from family violence and have access to safe, sustainable and affordable housing.

Call: (03) 8797 1656
Email: fv-intake@wayss.org.au 

Support for LGBTIQA+ Community

Rainbow Door is a free specialist LGBTIQA+ helpline providing information, support, referral and short-term case management. We support people of all ages and identities with issues including family and intimate partner violence (including elder abuse), relationships, mental health and wellbeing.

Call 1800 729 367
Text 0480 017 246

QLife is an after-hours, peer-to-peer support service run by volunteers in the LGBTIQ+ community. QLife is not a crisis support service. Peer supporters cannot provide counselling however they can provide referrals to LGBTIQ+ inclusive counselling services if needed.

Call: 1800 184 527

Queerspace is a family violence counselling and support for any LGBTIQ+ person, their family or friends, who are affected by family violence.

Call: (03) 9663 6733

Thorne Harbour Health is a family violence counselling and case management services to LGBTIQ+ communities and Family Violence Flexible Support Packages for those who are considering leaving or have recently left a violent relationship.

Call: (03) 9865 6700

Support for First Nations Community

Bayside Journey Walker - VACCA is an Aboriginal-led service, designed to be culturally safe and responsive to the needs of Aboriginal adults, children, young people living in the Bayside Peninsula area, who are affected by family violence. This service is delivered as one of three Aboriginal Access Points across the state funded under Dhelk Dja by the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA).

Call: (03) 9462 4399
Email: aapadmin@vacca.org

Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) is a free state-wide support and drop-in service for Aboriginal children and families.

Call: (03) 9287 8800

Djirra Aboriginal Women Support Service is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation providing practical support to Aboriginal people who are currently experiencing family violence or have in the past. Services include counselling, safety planning, financial assistance, and legal advice and representation.

Call: 1800 105 303 

Elizabeth Morgan House is a refuge accommodation and specialist family violence services to Aboriginal women and their children.

Call: (03) 9403 9400

Yarning SafeNStrong is a telephone crisis line for Aboriginal people and families who need to have a yarn. Free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call: 1800 959 563

Dardi Munwurro’s Brother to Brother is a telephone crisis support for Aboriginal men with family violence issues. Free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call: 1800 435 799

Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) is a First Nations free health service for Aboriginal people in crisis, children and women health services and multidisciplinary supports and referrals.

Call: (03) 9419 3000

Support for women with a disability

Disability and Family Violence Crisis Response initiative aims to assist Victorian women with a disability who are experiencing family violence.

Call: 1800 015 188 (Via Safe Steps)

Women with Disabilities Victoria provides a list of specialist support services within Victoria and Australia that work directly with people who are experiencing or are afraid of experiencing family violence and/or sexual assault.

Support for the Multicultural Community

InTouch - Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence is a free and confidential support services for migrant and refugee women who have experienced family violence, including ongoing risk assessments, safety planning, case coordination, cultural and emotional support, advocacy and referrals, cultural and secondary consultation, and practical support.

Call: 1800 755 988

Translating and Interpreting Service is a free phone service to gain access to an interpreter in your own language. 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Call: 131 450

Multicultural Centre for Women's Health Multilingual Library provides a catalogue for resources, including about family violence.

Multilingual factsheets about family violence: Fact sheets about what Victoria Police do in response to family violence.

Support for children and young people

Kids Helpline is a free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service for young people aged between 5 and 25. Free service, 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Call: 1800 55 1800

What’s Ok at Home is a website for young people their adult allies about family violence, why it happens, how to recognise it, and how to help others experiencing it.

Australian Childhood Foundation is a free counselling for children and young people affected by abuse. 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Call: 1800 176 453

Child Protection  is a free, for children and young people whose safety is at risk.

Call: 13 12 78

Support for older people

Elder Abuse

Elder Abuse is the mistreatment of an older person, committed by someone with whom the older person has a relationship of trust; such as a partner, family member, friend or carer.  It may be physical, sexual, social, financial or psychological and can include mistreatment and neglect. Sometimes family, friends and carers may not realise their actions amount to Elder Abuse. 

Seniors Rights Victoria is a free and confidential support services to support older Victorians experiencing abuse.

Call: 1300 368 821

Support for men

Family Life  helps people address and overcome the trauma of family violence through individual counselling, programs for parents and children. They also run men’s behaviour change programs for men wanting to end the use of violence in relationships and Dads in Focus a safe, non-judgemental space for men to overcome their personal issues.

Call: (03) 8599 5433
Email: info@familylife.com.au

Men’s Line Australia supports men who are dealing with family and relationship difficulties. Free service, 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Call: 1300 78 99 78

Victims of Crime Helpline is an information and support service for people affected by crime. Free service, 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Call 1800 819 817
Text 0427 767 891

Men’s Referral Service works with men who use family violence, and the sector that supports them to change their abusive and violent behaviour.

Call: 1300 766 491

How can we prevent family violence?

Primary prevention of violence focuses on changing the underlying social conditions that produce and drive gender-based violence, including challenging gendered drivers of men’s violence that excuse, justify or promote violence. Violence against women is preventable if we change the culture that allows it to happen.

Violence against women is not caused by one single factor, it is multiple factors that influence increases in violence. Our Watch’s, Change the Story is an evidence-based framework that guides a coordinated and effective national approach to preventing violence against women. The Change the Story framework describes these factors as ‘gendered drivers’ and they are outlined as the four drivers of violence against women and provide actions we can all take to prevent violence against women.

Gendered drivers of violence against women

 Gender drivers of violence against women:

  • Condoning of violence against women
  • Men’s control of decision-making and limits to women’s independence in public and private life
  • Rigid gender stereotyping and dominant forms of masculinity
  • Male peer relations and cultures of masculinity that emphasise aggression, dominance and control

Factors that reinforce the drivers of violence against women include

  • Condoning of violence in general
  • Experience of, and exposure to violence
  • Factors that weaken prosocial behaviour
  • Resistance and backlash to prevention and gender equality efforts

By addressing the gender drivers and factors of violence against women we can reduce and prevent all forms of violence in our community.

Essentials actions to prevent violence against women:

Action 1 – CHALLENGE the gender drivers and condoning of violence against women.

Action 2 – PROMOTE women’s independence and decision-making in public life and relationships.

Action 3 – STRENGTHEN positive, equal and respectful relationships between and among women and men, girls and boys throughout community.

Action 4 – BUILD safe, fair and equitable communities.

What is the Shire doing to prevent family violence?

Local government plays a key role in achieving gender equality and preventing family violence. It is now a legal responsibility under the Gender Equality Act 2020. The Act requires all Victorian councils to promote gender equality in the workplace and community.

The Shire's Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2030 provides a prevention framework to guide the work needed to prevent violence against women and their children and increase gender equality.

The Strategy is based on a national framework developed by OurWatch, Change the Story - a shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia. It identifies drivers of violence and actions to prevent them. The Strategy emphasises the importance of a whole of community approach through implementing strategies and key actions across six key priority settings where we live, work, learn and play.

The Shire also has a Workplace Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP), which includes strategies for achieving workplace gender equality. Every two years, the Shire is required to report on the progress of our GEAP and the seven Gender Equality Indicators:

  • gender pay equity
  • gender composition at all levels of the workforce
  • gender composition of governing bodies
  • workplace sexual harassment
  • recruitment and promotion
  • gendered work segregation
  • leave and flexibility

Primary prevention organisations

The following organisations lead and support coordinated prevention efforts at national, state and regional levels:

 

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