Australia is now more diverse – ethnically, linguistically, culturally – than ever; yet concrete data on the extent of domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) among these communities is lacking. What is certain is that the impacts of this violence are being felt in multicultural communities. This policy brief analyses the key issues in addressing domestic, family and sexual violence in multicultural communities in Australia and puts forward recommendations.

There is growing recognition of the need to respond to the needs of victim-survivors who are children and young people, to develop targeted responses to sexual violence, and to work with men from multicultural backgrounds across the DFSV continuum – prevention, early intervention, response, recovery and healing. 

While DFSV occurs across all cultures and communities, there are specific complexities and structural barriers for victim-survivors from multicultural communities that require tailored, culturally responsive approaches to promote community safety and wellbeing. An intersectional approach that identifies and responds to the multiple forms of structural oppression and discrimination – that can create barriers to support for victim-survivors of abuse/ violence – is required. 

Key recommendations

• Australian and state/territory governments should invest in building culturally responsive practice of universal services and drive system reforms to enable them to facilitate improved early intervention with migrants and refugee victim-survivors. 
• State/territory governments should invest in prevention and early intervention through community capacity building, training and support of community and social responders, and ongoing partnerships with multicultural, ethnospecific and faith-based communities. 
• The Australian Government should resource specialist migrant and refugee responses, such as through the settlement sector, to provide early intervention initiatives. 
• Sustained investment is needed for culturally tailored men’s behaviour change programs delivered in-language.