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Domestic Violence

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Content last updated 22/05/2023

Domestic Violence

Support for Primary Care in responding to Domestic Violence 

Primary care plays a critical role in responding to and caring for patients who experience domestic and family violence (DFV), as people are more likely to discuss past or current domestic violence issues with primary care providers – more so than the police.  

Pathways to Safety – The Readiness Program 

Funded by the Australian Government, the University of Melbourne’s Safer Families is leading the national Pathways to Safety – The Readiness Program, a free DFV training program for primary care providers which aims to strengthen the capacity to effectively recognise, respond, refer and record DFV using a trauma and violence-informed approach.  

The Pathways to Safety program is designed to enhance a whole of practice response with skilled GP and DFV facilitators delivering the training to clinical and non-clinical staff over two 1.5-hour online sessions. Training is delivered as an RACGP CPD-accredited activity (40 CPD points for GPs). 

Please submit an Expression of Interest via the Safer Families website. 

For further details, click here. 

Clinician guidelines for Information Sharing 

The Domestic and Family Violence Information Sharing Guidelines (refer to page 8) outlines when practitioners can legitimately share information without consent of person involved in a domestic violence incident. 

A quick-reference Domestic and family violence information sharing factsheet and flowchart is also available for use by the health workforce working in busy and complex clinical environments. 

As always, please consider your policies and obligations regarding patient privacy. If in doubt we recommend you contact your medical indemnity insurer.   

Queensland Health’s DFV Toolkit for resources for health workers 

Queensland Health have a range of resources to support the health workforce around domestic and family violence (DFV). 

Common Risk and Safety Framework (CRASF)

The Domestic and Family Violence common risk and safety framework (the CRASF) is a whole-of-system framework and includes a series of risk assessment and safety planning tools to help keep victim-survivors and their children safe.

The Level 1 tool is a screening tool designed for use by professionals, first responders and community members who encounter people who may have experienced DFV. There is a separate screening tool for adults and for children.

Support Services

Resources
https://gcphn.org.au/patient-care/population-groups/domestic-violence/#resources Copied to clipboard

RACGP guidelines 

Community HealthPathways| Gold Coast 

COVID-19 and domestic and family violence 

Domestic and family violence information sharing 

Non-lethal strangulation in domestic and family violence 

Helplines
https://gcphn.org.au/patient-care/population-groups/domestic-violence/#helplines Copied to clipboard
  • Phone 000 if a life is threatened or a crime is taking place. 
  • If there is no immediate emergency, report domestic and family violence by phoning: 
    • Policelink – phone 131 444 (non-urgent police assistance). 
    • If escaping domestic and family violence, and need a place of safety, phone: 
      • 1800 811 811 (DV Connect Womensline) 
      • 1800 600 636 (DV Connect Mensline) 

24-hour telephone based services

  • 1800RESPECT – sexual assault, domestic or family violence and abuse, phone 1800737732 
  • DV Connect Womensline – identifying females who want to escape domestic violence, phone 1800 811 811 
  • Kids Helpline – counselling service for patients aged 5 to 25 years, phone 1800 551 800 
  • Lifeline – crisis support and suicide prevention services, phone 131 114 
  • MensLine Australia – professional support for men in crisis, phone 1300 789 978 

Telephone and web-based support

Contact the appropriate service. 

  • Child services: 
    • Bravehearts – child sexual assault counselling and support, phone 1800 272 831 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm) 
    • Kids Helpline – counselling service for patients aged 5 to 25 years, phone 1800 551 800 
  • Elder abuse: Elder Abuse Helpline – phone 1300 651 192 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm) 
  • Men’s support: MensLine Australia – phone 1300 789 978 
  • Professional counselling: Beyond Blue – phone 1300 224 636 (24 hours, 7 days). 
  • Suicide intervention: Lifeline – phone 131114 (24 hours, 7 days). 
  • Violence, sexual assault: 
    • DV Connect Mensline – for men experiencing or using domestic, family or sexual violence, phone 1800600636 (9 am to midnight, 7 days) 
    • DV Connect Womensline – phone 1800 010 120 (7.30am to 11.30pm, 7 days) 
    • 1800RESPECT – national sexual assault, domestic family violence counselling service, phone 1800737732 (1800 RESPECT). 
    • Women’s Infolink – for Queensland women and girls, phone 1800 177 577 
Local community services
https://gcphn.org.au/patient-care/population-groups/domestic-violence/#local-community-services Copied to clipboard

Domestic violence

Families and children

Older People 

Legal

Sexual violence 

Queensland-wide community services
https://gcphn.org.au/patient-care/population-groups/domestic-violence/#queensland-wide-community-services Copied to clipboard

Counselling

Victims Counselling and Support Service – phone 1300 139 703 (24-hour appointment booking, information and telephone referrals.) 

Rainbow Counselling Service (Relationships Australia) – phone 1300 364 277 

Intellectual and learning disabilities

WWILD Sexual Violence Prevention Service for People With Intellectual and Learning Disabilities – phone (07) 3262 9844 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) 

Legal services

Relationships

Services for culturally and linguistically diverse people