Promoting safety for migrant and refugee women, children and families

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.