Train to increase knowledge

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Support those in need

Multicultural community and faith leaders are uniquely positioned to prevent family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV). As trusted confidants for victim survivors and individuals who use violence, they hold significant influence within their communities.  Often, they are the first point of contact for women experiencing violence, providing guidance, mediation, and referrals to support services.

Their deep understanding of community experiences allows them to address issues like language barriers, forced migration displacement, isolation, social barriers, and harmful gender and cultural norms.  By working closely with leaders, we can better reach and assist CALD women and children impacted by FDSV.

SSI will leverage its strong relationship with multicultural communities and faith leaders and draw on lived experience expertise to co-design innovative approaches to improve awareness, increase knowledge, drive attitude and behaviour change and contribute to the development of appropriate prevention and intervention responses and strategies to address abuse of CALD women and children.

In collaboration with community leaders, faith leaders and key sector stakeholders, the project will:

For more information about this project, or to understand if you should get involved, please contact us by email at fdsv.tecs@ssi.org.au.

FDSV: Train, Engage, Connect and Support (TECS) Project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services and is a partnership initiative with the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia (FECCA). 

SSI is one of the leading community organisations that is recognised for its advocacy in family, domestic and sexual violence and multicultural communities’ wellbeing. To find out what else we’re working on in this space, visit Domestic and Family Violence.

Victims of sexual violence from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities face unique challenges in reporting and reaching out for assistance when there is a lack of culturally responsive and trauma-informed services. Often, sexual violence services are not equipped with culturally and linguistically informed information, further enhancing barriers that victims may experience.

SafePath is a two-year project funded until June 2025 by the Department of Communities & Justice. The project aims to further equip frontline practitioners in identifying and responding to CALD victim survivors of sexual violence perpetration.

SafePath will develop culturally and linguistically informed resources to support victim-survivors, practitioners, and wider communities about sexual violence.

We invite you to share and use the resources when they are available. Some resources will be available in-language.

If you are subjected to or impacted by sexual violence, know someone who is, or are triggered by this content and would like to access support, please contact:

• Full Stop Domestic Violence helpline on 1800 385 578 or Full Stop NSW Sexual Violence Helpline on 1800 424 017
• Lifeline on 13 11 14

Should you have any comments, feedback, or questions, please contact us.

E: info@ssi.org.au
P: 02 8799 6700

Modern slavery can take many forms and affect more Australians and communities than we realise. Women, children, refugees, people seeking asylum, and recent migrants including international students are most at risk.

Our SToP program works with multicultural communities to increase knowledge and understanding about modern slavery with a focus on forced labour, domestic servitude, and forced marriage. We offer in-language community education to help migrant communities recognise the signs of these issues and empower them to take positive action.

SToP is funded by the Attorney-General’s Department under the National Action Plan modern slavery grants program.

• Multicultural communities residing in NSW, Queensland and Victoria, including community and faith leaders.
• We welcome everyone interested in learning more about ending modern slavery, including schools, settlement and migrant agencies, and any other groups.

Modern slavery refers to situations of exploitation where an individual is unable to refuse or leave due to threats, deception, and coercion. It is an abuse of power where the basic human right of freedom is denied.

Our free service helps older Australians from diverse backgrounds connect to aged care services and supports. If you don’t have a carer or support person, we are here for you. We create a plan based on your needs and meet you where it suits you best – at home, in our office, or in the community.

SSI Care Finder Program is supported by funding from the Australian government through the PHN program (Primary Health Network).

• Australians aged 65 or older from diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 or older
• People experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness
• Live in Logan region in Queensland
• Require support to navigate the My Aged Care System and other relevant community services
• Eligible for government funded aged care support

Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women

SSI has successfully tendered for funding through the Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program (funded by the eSafety Commissioner).  This program contributes to the Federal Government’s National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-32 (the National Plan).

SSI will work to address tech-safety and tech-based abuse in the context of Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) by increasing the understanding and knowledge of women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds on tech-based safety and abuse.  SSI will also focus efforts on newer arrivals, and those who have arrived as refugees.

The project will work to:

• increase the understanding of tech-based abuse and tech safety among migrant and refugee women and their children who may also be a target for tech-based abuse in the context of DFV,
• Increase conversations among migrant and refugee women on tech-based abuse and tech safety,
• Increase practical knowledge on how to identify spyware, tracking apps and clearing cache information, and
• Increasing the digital literacy of women participating in co-design and community education workshops.

For more information about the project or to become involved, please contact us.

P: 0401 750 745
E: mandersson@ssi.org.au
Monday to Thursday 8.00 am – 4.30 pm

At SSI Education and Training, we offer qualifications ranging from Individual Support (Aged Care and Disability) to Community Services, and Foundation Skills and Workplace Skills. Our courses are designed in collaboration with employers to meet industry demands and are also delivered in a culturally responsive way to support our clients and communities.

We are dedicated to empowering individuals to achieve their career potential. Our programs are rooted in equality, empathy, and innovation, driven by a desire to create positive change in the communities we serve.

1. Connected Human Services: A holistic approach tailored to your needs. Wraparound support services and/or referrals for overall success.
2. Flexibility: Study at your own pace with our flexible learning options.
3. Supportive training: Specialising in culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

SSI runs the Education and Training program in Logan, Queensland.

P: 07 3412 8222

E: ssieducation@ssi.org.au

W: www.ssieducationandtraining.org.au

The Centre promotes culturally appropriate, evidence-based and community informed responses to domestic, family and sexual violence in NSW, including in regional and rural areas.

We collaborate with specialist services and other support services to address the diverse needs of migrant and refugee women and children who are at risk of, or subjected to, domestic, family or sexual violence.

Our tailored and comprehensive approach encompasses collaborative case management and support, community engagement and awareness raising, sector capacity building, consultation and research, development of evidence and good practice, and advocacy to drive systemic change.

We work across four focus areas: prevention, early intervention, response, recovery and healing.

Culturally responsive practice

We understand the importance of ensuring that domestic, family and sexual violence solutions meet the needs of communities in all their diversity. Our work is grounded in cultural responsiveness and informed by evidence and community insights.

The Centre combines expertise in culturally responsive practice and forms of violence that are more likely to affect women, children and families from multicultural communities, such as migration-related abuse, multi-perpetrator violence, dowry abuse, forced marriage, and domestic servitude.

We work with victim survivors and communities to address these complex issues. We also collaborate with services to effectively work with migrant and refugee women, children and families, and ensure culturally responsive support.

Individuals

We provide specialist, culturally responsive support to migrant and refugee women and children who are at risk of, or experiencing, domestic, family and sexual violence. This includes:

• Support for the immediate safety of victim-survivors
• Collaborative, culturally responsive and holistic case management
• Support for socio-economic participation and community connection, and referrals to appropriate services.

Communities

We work with multicultural communities to support them with the knowledge and resources to effectively recognise, respond to, and prevent domestic, family and sexual violence. This includes:

• Community engagement and education on the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence and available support services
• Empowering communities as social responders
• Supporting communities to lead positive change in attitudes towards gender equality and healthy relationships.

Sector and service delivery

• Expert advice and capacity building on cultural responsiveness in the context of family, domestic and sexual violence
• Collaborative case management, particularly for complex cases
• Promoting cross-sector collaboration and developing evidence to enhance policy and practice responses.

The Centre promotes specialist and culturally responsive support to address the diverse needs and experiences of migrant and refugee women and their children at risk of, or subjected to, domestic, family or sexual violence.

We recognise the critical role that support services play in ensuring migrant and refugee women and their children’s safety and promoting family safety in multicultural communities.

We collaborate with services across women’s safety, multicultural and settlement sectors to ensure that effective, safe and culturally responsive services are available to those who need them.

The Centre collaborates with services to strengthen culturally responsive domestic, family and sexual violence case management and support when working with women, children and families from multicultural communities.

We provide cultural responsiveness and inclusive practice expertise and support, as well as advice on cultural, community and migration-related considerations.

We accept referrals to ensure migrant and refugee women and children receive the specialist domestic, family and sexual violence support they need.

The Centre contributes to developing evidence on safety considerations impacting women, children and families from multicultural communities. We consult with communities and engage in research collaborations to inform the design and delivery of services, develop policy advice, and improve responses to domestic, family and sexual violence in multicultural communities.

How we can support

• Consultation on complex cases and cultural considerations, and collaborative case management
• Referral pathways for specialist support
• Capacity building and collaborative initiatives to support culturally responsive practice
• Development of good practice models for enhanced service delivery
• Community engagement and awareness raising on the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence and available support services
• Provision of population data and insights into emerging trends in communities.

Partner with us to promote safety for migrant and refugee women and children. Whether you seek expert advice on complex cases, wish to collaborate on research, or explore potential partnerships, contact us at safetycentre@ssi.org.au or 02 8111 7077.

Read this in your language.

Click ‘download other version’ to print in-language resource.

Note for service providers: Please consider your clients’ safety when providing them with printed copies.

If you are in immediate danger, please call 000

If you need an interpreter, you can request one in your language when speaking to the emergency operator. If you need police to attend your home immediately, have your address in English ready to inform them where you are.

If you are experiencing violence, please contact us by calling 02 8111 7077 to speak to the Centre’s team. You can request an interpreter.

We are open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.

If you are calling outside these opening hours, please leave a message and provide your contact information, and we will call you back.  Please tell us when it is safe to call you back.

Domestic, family or sexual violence includes a wide range of abusive behaviours or threats, both violent and non-violent, that occur within intimate (partner or spouse) or other family relationships, including:

• Other family or household members
• Carer relationships
• Cultural and kinship relationships
• Foster care relationships
• Blood relatives who do not live together.

Examples of domestic, family or sexual violence

• Emotional abuse
• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Verbal abuse
• Financial abuse
• Technology facilitated abuse
• Psychological abuse
• Controlling behaviours.

Examples of abusive behaviour by a partner or family members

• You are being called names or being spoken to in a cruel or offensive way
• You are physically harmed or hurt
• You are threatened that your visa will be cancelled, and you will be sent back home
• You are not allowed to have your own money
• Your phone is checked or you are stopped from talking to friends and family
• You are threatened that your children will be taken away from you or will be hurt
• You are forced to do sexual things you do not want to do
• You are not allowed to practice your religion or culture.

The team can help you and your children. We respond with dignity, listen with empathy and offer safe, effective and confidential support in your language.

When you contact the Centre, you will speak to someone who understands you and can provide the assistance you need. We will provide you with information, advice and referrals to services best suited to you.

We will always prioritise your and your children’s safety and well-being.

Take the important step of reaching out to the Centre for immediate support. This brings you closer to a safer and healthier future for you and your children.

Contact us on 02 8111 7077.