Welcome to the Australian
DV Support Hub.🫂
(This website is currently under construction)
The DV Support Hub, provides FREE consolidated information on Australian domestic and family violence matters.
It is just one of the many hubs provided for free through Family Counselling Support Network, to Australians. If you, or are family member, are facing family and domestic violence or supporting someone who is, this hub provides information, resources and a guide on how to find support, keep safe, access resources and move forward safely with independence and greater confidence.
We endeavour to keep this information as up to date as possible.
This site is dedicated to the memory of all those who have lost their lives and the resilience of survivors.
If you have arrived at this hub because you or your loved one or friend is in need of support, we are extremely proud of you.
If you have arrived at this hub because you are seeking support to help find solutions to deal with your emotions, great move, we are also here for you to get the support you need.
Please know there is love and support for you. You've Got This.
There is never an excuse for abuse.
Meet our Ambassadors & Panel Members
Sabeel Burgess
We are very honoured to have Sabeel Burgess, CEO of Open Haven Ltd, and highly regarded domestic and family violence advocate, as one of our hub's ambassadors. A former high school teacher with 20 years of experience, including working with juvenile offenders, she successfully transformed Open Haven into a highly regarded post-crisis domestic and family violence NFP service provider, empowering survivors of domestic violence to realise their goals, offering long term recovery support services such as personalised 'restoration plans' to help survivors become supported and self-sufficient, driving lessons, job preparation, and legal referrals.
Kelly Gurski
With are incredibly honoured to welcome Sergeant Kelly Gurski as an ambassador for the DV hub. Kelly has devoted 30 years to policing, 14 as a domestic and family violence liaison officer. In 2024 she was awarded an Australian Police Medal for her dedication supporting victim-survivors of domestic and family violence and the impact of trauma, violence and abuse on their physical, mental and social wellbeing. Kelly is also an ardent supporter of the charity RizeUp, mother of six and a keen sportswoman who has featured on Adventure All Stars, fundraising for DV.
Susan Crain
Susan is a lawyer, with a background in psychology and counselling. She has worked for over 30 years supporting clients with family law and domestic violence matters. Susan has worked with many community groups including Caxton Legal Centre, Gold Coast Community Legal Centre, Act for Kids, Rize Up, and Open Haven, where she currently sits on the Board of Directors.
Susan is CEO and Founder of Separation Support Network and Family Counselling Support Network.
Aaron Schultz
CEO and Founder of The Outback Mind Foundation, a grass roots health promotion and education charity, focused on empowering regional men to take a proactive approach to looking after their mental health and to reduce the risk of men committing acts of domestic and family violence. Aaron's vision is to improve the emotional literacy of more regional men to help them live calm, conscious and connected lives.
The charities, Boiling Point documentary is a very powerful conversation starter shining light on the realities of domestic violence and male mental health, and real life stories of men who have turned their lives around. www.outbackmind.org.au
Mark Colwill
Counsellor
Mark is dedicated to helping you achieve your goals in overcoming the challenges you face during times of mental and emotional difficulty. Whether you are suffering with addiction, anxiety, depression, gambling habits or anger he works with you to take back control with professional counselling.
Domestic & Family Violence Hub
Finally the Support You Need All In One Place!
Emergency Access to financial help
Your long term Security
Police & Legal
involvement
Evidence Gathering
Emergency Support in Australia
PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU OR YOUR FAMILY ARE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER, CALL 000
FOR POLICE AND AMBULANCE HELP
With so many silo service providers offering assistance in Australia, we endeavour to explain their roles, how they interact and how to obtain their assistance for you and your family.
HELP IS AVAILABLE
🫂Emergency Contact Numbers and details of the service providers including 1800RESPECT (the 24 hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line)
🫂How to access medical emergency support
🫂How to access mental health emergency support
🫂What if I need a translator or interpreter to get emergency help?
🫂Other emergency crisis support Nationally and State based
We endeavour to update these details on a regular basis as required but please immediately notify us if you believe there is any error in the detail or the service has discontinued.
What is Domestic and Family Violence?
🫂What amounts to Domestic and Family Violence? Checklists to help.
🫂Details of the new Australian laws relating to stalking and coercive control
🫂Explain the difference between domestic abuse, family violence and child abuse
🫂Who can become a victim?
🫂LGBTQ relationships and domestic and family violence
🫂Teen dating violence
🫂Technological/online abuse
Please note: the checklists are not exhaustive, to cover every scenario, but will assist you to reduce your risks.
What are the 'Red Flags' of DV?
(warning signs)
It’s not always easy to tell at the beginning of a relationship if it will become abusive. In fact, many people who are abusive may seem absolutely perfect on the surface — as if they are the dream partner — in the early stages of a relationship. Possessive and controlling behaviors don’t always appear overnight but rather emerge and intensify as the relationship grows. That’s why it’s important to know the red flags of abuse.
There are often a number of warning signs 'RED FLAGS' that a relationship is or will likely become abusive.
🫂What are the Red Flags to look out for in a new relationship?
🫂Education and programmes - for you, your children, schools and public
Reporting suspected child abuse
Child abuse can be a single incident or several incidents that take place over time. It may not involve family members.
Child abuse must be reported if a child has suffered significant harm, is suffering significant harm, or is at risk of suffering significant harm.
🫂What is child abuse? How does it differ from domestic and family violence?
🫂How to recognise potential child abuse
🫂What to do if you suspect child abuse
🫂Why you should report child abuse
🫂What to expect after a report is made
🫂Impact of abuse and domestic and family violence on children
How to help someone at risk of DV
SEE
TALK
OFFER SUPPORT
PREVENT
🫂How to help someone you think or know is affected by domestic and family violence
🫂How to verbally respond to someone experiencing domestic and family violence
🫂Key signs someone is potentially being abused
🫂Key signs someone may be an abuser
🫂Personal reflections from survivors
🫂Business support to help employers support employees
🫂Trauma and Counselling support
Safety Exit Plan
Whether you are considering leaving or have left, we provide guidance on preparing a safety exit plan in advance.
🫂Keeping your home safe
🫂How to prepare an immediate escape from the home
🫂What to consider and prepare as part of the exit safety plan
🫂Documents and evidence and packing your bag to take if safe to do so
🫂How to apply for an emergency Family Violence Restraining Order
Please note: the checklists are not exhaustive, to cover every scenario, but will assist you to reduce your risks.
Emergency Help with Accommodation
🫂How and where to access safe emergency housing and accommodation after leaving a harmful relationship?
🫂What are the emergency accommodation options?
🫂Am I eligible for emergency accommodation?
🫂Things to take and prepare
🫂Applying for longer term accommodation support
🫂Rent Assist and other government support
We endeavour to update these details on a regular basis as required but please immediately notify us if you believe there is any error in the detail or the service has discontinued.
Emergency Access to food and other key personal items
🫂How and where to access emergency food items
🫂Are we eligible for emergency access to food?
🫂How long will I be allowed to access emergency food and other personal items?
🫂How to access food and other key personal items after the initial emergency
We endeavour to update these details on a regular basis as required but please immediately notify us if you believe there is any error in the detail or the service has discontinued.
Emergency Access to financial assistance
🫂Am I eligible for financial assistance?
🫂What government financial assistance is available?
🫂How do I apply for financial assistance?
🫂Where do you get the forms from and how to complete the forms?
🫂What if I need help to complete the forms?
🫂What if I don't have Australian residency?
We endeavour to update these details on a regular basis as required but please immediately notify us if you believe there is any error in the detail or the service has discontinued.
Ongoing security
🫂Technology safety
🫂Financial safety
🫂Recording evidence
🫂Staying safe at work, school and in public
🫂Other key security suggestions
DV Police & Legal Processes
There can be some confusion and concern regarding making a complaint, the process, the evidence, the protection and the legal process from beginning to end.
🫂What can I do if I am a victim of domestic abuse?
🫂What to expect if I make a report?
🫂Urgent versus non urgent applications for a protection order
🫂Understanding the documents and filing
🫂What are the timings of getting protection?
🫂Do I need legal help?
🫂Do I need to go to court?
🫂What if someone lies about DV? What are my rights if falsely accused?
🫂What happens after we get the protection order?
🫂What if they breach the protection order?
Evidence Gathering to prove the abuse
In order to support any claim for domestic or family violence and/or child abuse there needs to be credible evidence. It is important to record as much detail as possible (but ensuring you remain safe). The information you gather can potentially be used by policeas evidence.
We explain how to do this, what the police and courts require and what is legally able to be obtained and presented.
Longer term financial independence
🫂Credit scores and credit reports
🫂Obtaining a loan or refinancing
🫂Financial counselling
🫂Getting debt under control
🫂Career assistance
🫂Dealing with debt collectors
🫂Child support and other government assistance
🫂Financial course and resources
🫂Legal aid or community legal assistance
Co-parenting Challenges & helping the kids
Poor quality co-parenting relationships are commonly associated with negative effects for the victim/survivor and the children. Both divorce and violence-related concerns and experiences will influence cooperating relationships with the former partner.
We provide guidance on:
🫂Co-parenting when there are genuine fears for yours and/or the family safety
🫂How the courts look at 'best interests of the child' if there are safety concerns
🫂How to remain personally safe during co-parenting
🫂The appointment of an independent children's lawyers (ICL)
🫂Details about family reports
🫂Supervised access, handover and handover centres
🫂How to claim child support and maintenance and obtaining financial support.
🫂How, when and to whom to report safety concerns that have arisen
🫂Consequences for intentionally making false allegations about another person
🫂Drug and alcohol addictions and the courts view on parenting and testing
🫂Remaining safe with IT and tracking when co-parenting
🫂Use of parenting apps and documenting
DV & Workplace Support
We understand it can be very difficult to report domestic and family violence matters to anyone, let alone to your workplace.
We discuss how you might do this, why, and how to best manage the process and make an application for domestic violence leave if required.
True versus False Allegations - the impact and consequences
🫂
We endeavour to update these details on a regular basis as required but please immediately notify us if you believe there is any error in the detail or the service has discontinued.
Support for those committing abuse/violence
& strategies to effect greater change
🫂Am I abusive? Checklist.
🫂Anger management courses available
🫂Stress management and resilience courses
🫂Counselling support and programs
🫂Support networks and programs
The Tragic Statistics
🫂Affirmative consent laws
🫂What influences family, domestic and sexual violence? (aihw,gov,au)
🫂Education programmes
🫂Rites of Passage, Role Models and Reconnect programs
🫂Respect You, Respect Me.
🫂Changing the view on masculinity
🫂Pushing for change with child support enforcement
🫂White Ribbon Australia - global social movement
🫂Further reform needed
Reclaiming YOU!
Get back your life and find your happier place.
🫂Self care
🫂Women's Wellness Hub www.wellnessmenopausehub.com
🫂Men's Wellness Hub www.menwellnesshub.com.au
🫂Rural Support Hub - www.ruralsupporthub.com
🫂Counselling, Psychology, Trauma support
🫂Support networks
🫂Separation/Divorce support
🫂Career support
🫂Future relationships
🫂Breaking the cycle
Domestic & Family Violence Blogs
Am I eligible for Legal Aid?
Am I eligble for financial support through Legal Aid?
If you need a lawyer for ongoing legal help or to represent you in court and you don’t have enough money to pay, you may be able to get legal assistance from Legal Aid. Legal Aid is the Australian organisation that delivers a variety of legal services to disadvantaged people across your relevant state/territory. Unfortunately, they do not have the resources to help everyone with a legal problem and therefore can only assist if your case falls within their strict guidelines. The main ways they decide if you can access this legal help are as follows:
1. They look at your financial situation
a) They will do a ‘means test’ which will look at the amount of your total income (Centrelink payments including Family Tax Benefit A, Family Tax Benefit B etc. child support payment, child maintenance payments, spousal maintenance payments, what you earn including any investments, any insurance policy claims for example accident, sickness or disability benefits) and total assets (equity in your home, money in the bank etc);
b) They will consider any support or financial help you provide to other people, for example a partner or child/ren;
c) They will also look at the assets and income of any other person who provides you with regular financial support, for example gives you money, helps pay your bills, or shares your living expenses ( for example a relative, friend, spouse, former partner etc).
PLEASE NOTE: The MEANS TEST (the amount and assets/income you can earn to be eligible) is different for each state/territory.
They will also look at the ‘merit’ of your case
This means, what is the prospect/chances of your matter being successful if it went to court?
To decide this, Legal Aid looks at the legal situation and the facts of your case to decide if it is likely to succeed or fail if it goes to court – they consider - would a sensible person risk their money to take the particular case to court?
They might also look at your special circumstances
There are sometimes applicants who may not succeed with the ‘means test’ requirements but they deserve special consideration because they experience multiple disadvantages. This may mean you get some assistance with legal costs.
If you are experiencing, for example:
domestic violence,
live in a remote area,
have an intellectual, psychiatric or physical disability.
or other disadvantage,
you may be eligible for a grant of aid via Legal Aid’s special circumstances guidelines.
What to do next?
We highly recommend you do the following if you think you may be eligible:
Have a look at the Legal Aid Application form relevant to your particular state or territory to see what information they would require you to provide. There are a significant number of documents you need to submit with your application to prove your financial situation.
PLEASE NOTE: The Application Form and terms are different for each state/territory.
Write down notes on why you think you might be eligible or any other questions you have about applying for Legal Aid.
Ring your own state Legal Aid office for a free consultation to discuss whether you are eligible for Legal Aid and what to do next.
Ask Legal Aid how you can get help, if needed, to fill in the application form and to submit it.
NOTE: An interpreter can be arranged. Arrangements can be made to assist you with an accredited interpreter or National Relay Service for the hearing impaired.
The Application Form
The Application form must only be submitted in the approved form for your own state or territory.
NOTE: Each state/territory has a slightly different application form!
A copy of the Application Form is available by:
* The Legal Aid website – check it is the Legal Aid website for your state/territory (you can download the application from the documents sections).
*Collect the application form in person by going into any of the Legal Aid offices in your state/territory.
* Call them and ask for one to be mailed to you.
*Email your Legal Aid office and provide your name and address and ask one to be mailed to you or your PO Box.
If you qualify for Legal Aid
If you qualify (your application is approved), Legal Aid will get a lawyer to represent you under a grant of legal aid for your matter. They can speak for you in court, help you prepare legal documents related to your case and help you reach agreement with the other party.
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