What is family and domestic violence?
Family and domestic violence (DFV) is when someone uses power and control over another person in a family or intimate relationship. It includes threatening, controlling or harmful behaviour that can make you or your family feel unsafe or afraid.
This violence is not your fault. You are not responsible for the violent behaviour of others – not ever.
If you are experiencing family violence, support services are available to help you stay safe and understand your options.
What can family and domestic violence look like?
Family and domestic violence can take many forms and is not always physical. It can include:
- Physical abuse – physically harming or threatening you
- Sexual abuse – forcing or pressuring you into sexual activity
- Emotional abuse – insults, humiliation, intimidation or making you doubt yourself
- Financial abuse – restricting access to money, not allowing you to work, or dowry coercion1
- Controlling behaviour – controlling where you go, who you see or what you do
- Isolation – preventing contact with friends, family or support networks
- Monitoring or tracking – checking your phone, messages or location without your consent
- Threats and intimidation – threatening you or your loved ones, including children or pets, or damaging your property or belongings
- Spiritual abuse – preventing you from practising your religion or culture, or using faith or beliefs to control you
It often involves a pattern of behaviour used to control someone over time. This is known as coercive control.
Who can experience family and domestic violence?
Violence can affect anyone, in all types of relationships, regardless of age, income, culture, gender or sexuality.
It can happen between couples, parents, and children, as well as between relatives and in any family-like relationship, such as with carers or housemates.
While anyone can experience family violence, some people may face a higher risk of violence due to broader gender, social and economic inequalities. This can include:
- Women
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- People from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- People with disability
- LGBTIQA+ people.
Children can also be affected by family violence when they see, hear, or are exposed to abuse, even if the abuse is not directed at them.
The impact of family and domestic violence
Living with domestic and family violence can really impact your emotional and physical health. It can also affect your relationships with other family members, friends and colleagues, and reduce your confidence and ability to leave the violent person.
Domestic and family violence can have serious and long-lasting impacts on many parts of a person’s life. WIRE’s research shows that abuse can continue after separation with perpetrator abuse of the systems as well as existing barriers within legal financial or administrative systems. This creates ongoing financial and hardship for many women.2
Domestic and family violence is also a major driver of women’s homelessness in Australia, and one of the most common reasons women seek crisis support3
Information Booklet
WIRE has developed a booklet with further information about family violence, including:
- Recognising signs of abuse
- Understanding impacts
- Where to get help and support
- Practical information and resources
Download WIRE’s Family Violence Information Booklet
Getting Support
Our trained support workers can talk through what’s happening and help you understand your options, at your own pace.
You can call WIRE on 1300 134 130, start a web chat, or book an appointment.
Emergency Support
| Emergency Services | Call 000 if you or someone is in immediate danger |
Legal Support
WIRE recognises that women and gender diverse people can face barriers to accessing legal support and can help connect you with trusted services that understand family violence.
| Nicholes Law | Website: https://nicholeslaw.com.au/ Phone: 03 9670 4122 |
| Victoria Legal Aid | Website: https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/ Phone: 1300 792 387 |
Family & Violence Support
| WIRE | Website: https://www.wire.org.au/ Phone: 1300 134 130 |
| The Orange Door (Family violence & child support) | Website: https://www.orangedoor.vic.gov.au/ |
| Family Relationship Advice Line (Help with relationships & separation) | Website: https://www.familyrelationships.gov.au/talk-someone/advice-line Phone: 1800 050 321 |
| 1800RESPECT (24/7 family violence counselling) | Website: https://1800respect.org.au/ Phone: 1800 737 732 |
| SafeSteps Family Violence Response Centre (Vic) | Website: https://safesteps.org.au/our-services/ Phone: 1800 015 188 |
| Raising Children Network (Parenting strategies, behaviour tips, and relationship resources) | Website: https://raisingchildren.net.au/ |
| The Line (Resources for young people and parents around respectful relationships and changing harmful behaviour) | Website: https://www.theline.org.au/ |
| Kids Helpline | Website: https://kidshelpline.com.au/ Phone: 1800 55 1800 |
| Victorian Sexual Assault Crisis Line | Phone: 1800 806 292 (after hours) / 03 8345 3494 (police/emergency) |
| CASA (Centre Against Sexual Assault) | Website: https://www.casahouse.com.au/contact-us Phone: 1800 806 292 |
| Victims of Crime Helpline (Vic) | Phone: 1800 819 817 |
Online Support
| eSafety Commissioner (Help with cyberstalking, image-based abuse, and online safety) | Website: esafety.gov.au |
| Wesnet (Provides free smartphone and tech safety training to women experiencing violence) | Website: https://wesnet.org.au/ Phone: 1800 937 638 |
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Support
| Yarning Safe’N’Strong Helpline (24/7 cultural wellbeing support) | Website: https://www.vahs.org.au/yarning-safenstrong/ Phone: 1800 959 563 (24/7) |
| 13YARN (Crisis support for mob) | Website: https://www.13yarn.org.au/ Phone: 13 92 76 (24/7) |
| Djirra (Support for Aboriginal women) | Website: https://djirra.org.au/ Phone: 1800 105 303 |
LGBTQIA+ Support
| QLife (LGBTQIA+ peer counselling) | Website: https://qlife.org.au/ Phone: 1800 184 527 |
Mental Health Support
| Australian Psychological Society (Find a registered psychologist) | Website: https://psychology.org.au/ Phone: 03 8662 3300 |
| Lifeline (24/7 crisis counselling) | Website: https://www.lifeline.org.au/ Phone: 13 11 14 (24/7) |
| Beyond Blue (Support for anxiety & depression) | Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ Phone: 1300 22 4636 |
| Better Place Australia (Counselling & family support) | Website: https://www.betterplaceaustralia.com.au/ Phone: 1800 639 523 |
Multicultural & Migration Support
| InTouch (Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence) | Website: https://intouch.org.au/ Phone: 1800 755 988 |
| My Blue Sky (Forced Marriage & Migration Exploitation) | Website: https://mybluesky.org.au/ Phone: 02 9514 8115 |
| Immigration Advice & Rights Centre | Website: https://iarc.org.au/ Phone: 02 8234 0700 |
| Australian Red Cross (Support for Trafficked People Program) | Website: https://www.redcross.org.au/migration/support-for-people-impacted-by-modern-slavery/ Phone: 03 9345 1800 |
| Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights | Website: https://amwchr.org.au/ Phone: 03 9481 3000 |
Financial Support
| Financial Independence Hub | Website: https://goodshep.org.au/services/fih/ Phone: 1300 050 150 |
| National Debt Helpline | Website: https://ndh.org.au/ Phone: 1800 007 007 |
| Centrelink Financial Information Service Officers | Website: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/financial-information-service-officers?context=21836 Phone: 132 300 |
Elder Support
| National Elder Abuse Helpline | Phone: 1800 353 374 |
References
1) 1800RESPECT. (n.d.). Domestic and family violence. Australian Government. https://www.1800respect.org.au/violence-and-abuse/domestic-and-family-violence
2) Arashiro, Z. (2021). Too visible, yet not fully seen. WIRE. https://wirevictoria.sharepoint.com/sites/ProgramsProjects/Research%20%20Projects/Old%20Projects/Other/COVID-19%20Intersectionality%20Project%202020-21/final%20report/Too%20visible%20yet%20not%20fully%20%20seen%20final%20report.pdf
3) Victorian Government & Crime Statistics Agency. (2023–2025). Family Violence Dashboard. https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/family-violence-data/family-violence-dashboard