Hearing her voice: report from the kitchen table conversations with culturally and linguistically diverse women on violence against women and their children

The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022 (the National Plan) is a 12-year strategy that aims to make a significant and sustained reduction in violence against women and their children. Under the Second Action Plan 2013–2016: Moving Ahead (the Second Action Plan) of the National Plan, Commonwealth and state and territory governments have committed to deepening our understanding of diverse experiences of violence, including the experiences of women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. We have also committed to working with communities to prevent violence, ensure that the voices of CALD women are heard, and support women and their children who may require a range of targeted responses. In 2014–15, CALD women leaders hosted 29 kitchen table conversations throughout Australia with women from more than 40 ethnic and cultural backgrounds about violence against women and their children. The hosts invited women from their networks and communities and provided a culturally appropriate and accessible setting, supported by the Department of Social Services (DSS). The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the key issues and some suggested responses raised by participants in the conversations. At the conversations, there was general agreement that CALD women share many issues and experiences in common with other Australian women in relation to domestic and family violence and sexual assault, such as finding affordable accommodation, achieving financial independence, undertaking employment, obtaining legal advice and locating appropriate childcare. However, these difficulties can be exacerbated by factors such as not being able to speak English, having no independent rental history, lower employment rates, lack of transport, and having few friends or family members in Australia who can provide support. There was agreement that CALD women are less likely to report violence, can experience more barriers in accessing support services, and are less likely to leave a family violence situation than other Australian women. At the same time, it was important to recognise that CALD women are not victims, but courageous and successful survivors with a capacity to flourish. Given the commonalities between CALD and other Australian women, this report focuses on 11 interrelated issues and themes which were identified as specific to CALD women and communities: 1. Understanding Australia’s laws, rights and cultural norms and new arrivals. 2. Gaining familiarity with and knowledge of support services. 3. Enhancing the availability and accessibility of support services. 4. Resolving immigration status and eligibility for support services and payments. 5. Reducing women’s isolation and promoting community participation. 6. Recognising cultural beliefs and norms about gender and marriage. 7. Building the capacity of community and religious leaders. 8. Raising professional standards in interpreting and translation. 9. Improving police interventions. 10. Engaging and educating CALD men to inspire behaviour change. 11. Recognising the intersectionality of issues for CALD women. The valuable feedback from the kitchen table conversations will be used to inform the ongoing implementation of the Second Action Plan and shape the future direction of the National Plan