Type:	Report
Title:	African communities forum on domestic violence report : working towards a collaborative approach to addressing family support and conflict within the African communities in Western Australia
Authors:	Western Australia. Department for Community Development, Family and Domestic Violence Unit & Office of Multicultural Interests
Keywords:	Refugee communities;Cross-cultural;Community development
Year:	2005
Publisher:	Western Australia. Department for Community Development, Family and Domestic Violence Unit & Office of Multicultural Interests
Notes:	General overview: This report outlines proceedings from a forum on domestic violence held in Perth in 2005 and attended by members of African communities living in Australia. The forum resulted from discussions and meetings between African community leaders in Perth and officers from the Family and Domestic Violence Unit, following the murder of a Sierra Leone women, allegedly by her estranged husband in 2004. Objective: The aims of the forum were to discuss community perceptions of domestic violence, to empower the community members to prevent domestic violence and to identify how government organisations can assist the communities to prevent domestic violence. Methods: Representatives of police, a women’s organisation, a psychologist and a torture and trauma treatment agency gave presentations. Attendees then engaged in table discussions and group work. The results of this work was summarised and recommendations developed. Discussion: Table discussions revealed a consensus that domestic violence was unacceptable, although some individuals believed that reasonable punishment of women and children was acceptable. Men’s unemployment was seen as a cause of domestic violence, both because of boredom and because of the shift of power to women, who receive wages or social security benefits. The difficulties of adapting to Australian culture, and particularly the rights and freedoms that women have in Australia, were also identified as stressors. When asked to identify ways of preventing domestic violence, participants indicated that employment opportunities for men were very important. Other suggestions included community education, support groups for men, women and children and culturally appropriate counselling and conflict resolution services. Community elders are important sources of advice and support to African communities. It was suggested that elders should receive training in addressing family conflict and that elders could be involved in a traditional system of managing family violence.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/22211
Appears in Collections:	Reports

Items in ANROWS library are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.