National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children

Indigenous women are 35 times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be hospitalised as a result of family violence. In some communities this statistic may be much higher.

The higher incidence of violence against Indigenous women is recognised in the Australian Government’s National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. Among its many objectives, the Plan supports Indigenous communities to create and build on their own solutions to prevent violence.

This includes encouraging women to have a stronger voice as community leaders, providing leadership opportunities for Indigenous women, supporting Indigenous men to reject violence as well as improving employment, education and business opportunities in Indigenous communities.

• Find out more about how governments are working together to reduce violence against Indigenous women and their children.
• Read the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children.
• Read the Easy English version of the National Plan.

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  National Child Protection Week

  5 September 2011
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  Championing respectful relationships

  16 May 2011
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  NT mojos share new moves and old secrets

  13 April 2011
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  Keeping communities safe

  16 December 2010
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  Support for healing

  2 December 2010
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  City sisters speak out against violence

  30 September 2010
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  Gunbalanya looks after family safety

  30 June 2010
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  Maningrida Night Patrol and Child Safety Service

  30 June 2010

Find out more

Safe communities are one of the building blocks in the Closing the Gap strategy, agreed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).

The Australian Government is providing leadership in child protection and anti-violence through the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children. It has also led development of the National Indigenous Law and Justice Framework endorsed by the Standing Committee of Attorneys’ General (SCAG) in November 2009.

The Australian Government’s Indigenous Family Safety Agenda addresses the high rates of family violence in Indigenous communities.

The higher incidence of violence against Indigenous women is recognised in the Australian Government’s National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. Among its many objectives, the Plan supports Indigenous communities to create and build on their own solutions to prevent violence.

In the Northern Territory the Australian Government has made community safety a priority. It has put in place extra police and police stations, night patrols, safe houses, child protection workers and violence counselling services, as well as widespread bans on alcohol and pornography.

Projects for young people seek to divert them from the justice system, reduce anti-social behaviour and combat substance abuse.

For more information on Indigenous community safety and law and justice issues, go to:

• Indigenous law and justice programs at the Attorney-General’s Department
• Petrol Sniffing Prevention Program at the Department of Health and Ageing.