Domestic violence policing of First Nations women in Australia: ‘Settler’ frameworks, consequential harms and the promise of meaningful self-determination

Abstract

This article analyses domestic violence fatality reviews/coronial files for a whole-of-population study of First Nations women killed by male partners across several Australian jurisdictions between 2006 and 2016, alongside yarning/interviews with First Nations domestic violence workers, violence survivors and Elders. Findings show that most women had domestic violence-related police contact before their deaths, and these interactions were frequently harmful. Harms resulted from police inaction, including failures to respond or enforce the law. Harms also resulted from police action, with policing enhancing state surveillance of victims’ families, eroding victims’ autonomy and criminalizing victims. Findings are located in neo-colonial context, emphasizing a policy need for meaningful Indigenous self-determination and reinforcing the importance of inclusive disciplinary and epistemological practices in gender-based violence criminology.