Indigenous women’s experiences of domestic violence, help-seeking and recovering in regional Queensland
Research Summary
Research Summary Amended and abridged article Source Meyer, S., & Stambe, R-M. (2020). Indigenous women’s experiences of domestic and family violence, help-seeking and recovery in regional Queensland., The Australian journal of social issues, 2020-08-19. doi:10.1002/ajs4.128.
This study does not aim to generalise the findings to the wider population of women affected by domestic and family violence. Rather it contributes to the limited research evidence around women’s experiences of domestic and family violence in the context of social and cultural marginalisation, family life, residential mobility, and the role of cultural and spiritual connectedness in the resilience and recovery of Indigenous women in the Australian context and beyond.
access services and may not have accommodation post-crisis. Those who have been financially dependent on their partners or welfare-reliant may be limited in the types of independent housing they can afford, which is hampered by a shortage of supply of affordable housing in non-urban areas. Further, a lack of employment and education opportunities in nonurban settings reduces women’s ability to obtain financial security.
Domestic and family violence (DFV) in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is a serious and widespread problem but it is important to reiterate that violence is not a part of Australia’s First Nations cultures. Rather, violence should be understood in a “historical context of colonisation, oppression, dispossession, disempowerment, poverty, and cultural, social and geographical dislocation” (Cheers et al. 2006, p.52). The purpose of this paper was to extend the existing research by generating a nuanced understanding of Indigenous women’s experiences in regional settings.
In small close-knit communities, women may not feel comfortable disclosing or seeking help in relation to their experience of violence. Regional service providers may have multiple roles and overlapping relationships with victims/ survivors and perpetrators. The visibility of living in a small town raises concerns around privacy and confidentiality and women may fear social rejection. The challenges associated with fear, stigma, and service access, are often “amplified” for women in non-urban locations.
Other research has already highlighted the multiple structural factors that affect how a woman experiences DFV in a non-urban context. The lack of amenities, especially public transport, hinders women’s efforts to leave violence or access support services. Women face longer waiting periods to 09 . QCDFVRe@der, March 2021
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait women living in non-urban areas, the issues experienced by non-urban victims/ survivors when trying to escape or take respite from DFV are further compounded by historical, social and political contexts. Specifically, First Nations women risk facing community anger when reporting perpetrators of DFV to the police, thus contributing to their removal from the community into
