Electronic Resources:	http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/RTF%20Files/Issues Paper_19.rtf
Web resource:	http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Issues%20Paper_19.pdf
Type:	Journal Article
Title:	Family violence, help-seeking & the close-knit Aboriginal community: lessons for mainstream service provision
Other Titles:	Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse issues paper
Authors:	Farrelly, Terri Lumby, Bronwyn
Keywords:	Regional rural and remote areas;CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse);Indigenous issues;Training
Year:	2009
Publisher:	Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, UNSW
Citation:	(19), September 2009
Notes:	General Overview: This Australian paper reports on the findings of a qualitative study examining help-seeking behaviours in Aboriginal communities around the issue of family violence, with a view to providing potential strategies and solutions in both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal agencies. Method: Data for the study was collected through interviews and focus groups within relevant Aboriginal and mainstream service providers, as well as from interested members of in an Aboriginal community in New South Wales. Focus groups reviewed information obtained through interviews, and support and advice sought from Aboriginal controlled community organisations. The authors also conducted a literature review of international and national material. Discussion: The study indicated that the close-knit nature of Aboriginal communities can mean that family violence can affect a wide range of people and that those involved may be unwilling to act in a way that will disrupt their community membership, especially through the involvement of outside agencies. While the participants in the study identified a preference for Aboriginal specific services, they also highlighted problems related to workers being members of the same community. The authors report that the lack of cultural competence displayed in non-Aboriginal service providers, coupled with a lack of understanding of Aboriginal communities and how kinship networks function, were identified as principal barriers to formal help-seeking. Conclusion: The authors argue for the need for choice in formal help sources, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, to enable access to the most appropriate service for each individual. It is further argued that cultural competency training needs to be undertaken by agency staff, including any Aboriginal workers, and that this training should be provided by consultants from within the community. Strategies with performance indicators are provided as suggested ways to improve help seeking by and response to Aboriginal people experiencing family violence.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/14780
ISSN:	14438496
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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