Domestic Violence in Australia Things to Know

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As per United Nations, Domestic abuse, otherwise called "domestic violence" or "intimate partner violence," is a pattern of behaviour in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, race, faith, or class. Domestic violence occurs when one of the partners is highly controlling, thus inducing fear in the partner or family members. Moreover, Domestic violence usually escalates in frequency and severity and may end in serious physical injury or even death. 

Domestic Violence in Australia  

Parliament of Australia defines domestic violence as 'acts of violence that occur between people who have, or have had, an intimate relationship.'Domestic Violence includes any actions that terrify, intimidate, manipulate, inflict harm, humiliate, or place blame on another person.

What are the signs of domestic abuse in Australia?

• Physical abuse includes hurting a partner by hitting, kicking, burning, grabbing, pinching, shoving, slapping, hair-pulling, biting, etc.
• Psychological abuse is where the victim fears intimidation, gets threatened for physical harm to self/partner/children/ pets and gets forced to have isolation from society.
• Financial or economic abuse involves gaining total control over financial resources, withholding access to money, etc.
• Sexual abuse is when a partner, without your consent, does a sexual act on you.
• Stalking includes a pattern of behavior where the offender checks on every activity of the partner/victim. 

Data on domestic violence in Australia

Domestic Violence in Australia is prevalent among women and men but women are found assaulted in their homes by a male partner than anywhere or anyone else.

 As per the latest national reports:

•  1 in 6 women experiences physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner, while it is 1 in 16 among men. 

• Of all Australian women, 15 % had been sexually assaulted by a person they knew, while only 1 in 22 Australian men had experienced sexual violence by a person known or unknown to them.

The Offender of Domestic Violence is liable to get prisoned. Depending on the type of domestic violence offense, a court can impose a penalty on a sentence ranging from a maximum of 2-years through to life imprisonment.   

How to get support when someone suffers Domestic violence in Australia?

If anyone is affected, then the Department of Human Services of the Australian Government can help you connect to specialists, emergency accommodation, housing, and legal assistance. 

After understanding your story, the Department of Human Services checks your eligibility and offers you payments and services, including income support payments, child support, social work services, etc.

Check out the Department of Human ServicesDomestic Service or go to visit a nearby service center to get help on domestic violence.

For further information, you can visit Family and domestic violence. It's time to say enough.

Legal assistance is there for Domestic Violence victims? 

Like other countries Australia also has legal ways to deal with DV issues. If you need legal assistance in Australia there are many government agencies and non governmental organisations to help you sort this matter out. Besides these legal aid option you always have option to hire your own private solicitors to handle legal proceeding in DV matter. Law Society in every state keeps record of practicing lawyers, solicitors and barristers from that list you can choose one for you. In New South Wales law council of NSW keeps up to date register of solicitors. You can find practicing lawyer in your suburb such as Marrickville lawyers in Marrickville. 

Government or NGO assisted or private you have choice based on your need and circumstances to get justice from the court.  

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