The definition and types of violence provided here is the one used by Safe and Equal (the Victorian peak body for specialist family violence services)

Family violence – also known as domestic violence or abuse – is any abusive behaviour that is used to control someone in a family, family-like or intimate relationship, and makes that person afraid for their safety and wellbeing or the safety of another person.

Family violence very rarely happens as a single incident, rather, it is a pattern of ongoing behaviour that can include multiple tactics used to intimidate, control and abuse someone. The frequency and severity of family violence can change over time and can impact other members of the family or household. If a child witnesses abusive behaviour or is exposed to the impacts of this, they are a victim survivor of family violence in their own right and can access specialised children’s support through our partner agencies.

Family violence can take many different forms and happens in all kinds of family or intimate relationships across all ages, communities and cultures. Some examples of forms of family violence include;

• physical assault (such as punching, hitting, kicking, pushing, slapping, choking)
• sexual assault
• stalking
• isolation from family, friends and/or social networks
• controlling access to money or how it is spent
• emotional and psychological abuse (eg constant criticisms, name-calling, belittling and putdowns)
• preventing practising of cultural or spiritual beliefs
• intimidation
• making threats
• harming pets
• intentionally damaging property and belongings
• any behaviour that causes someone to live in fear

Some of the above behaviours are criminal offences, such as stalking, physical assault, sexual assault, threats, animal abuse, property damage and theft. Behaviours that are not necessarily criminal may still be considered family violence and can be the subject of a family violence intervention order in Victoria. If this intervention order is breached this can also result in criminal charges.

Experiencing abuse, violence or controlling behaviour in any relationship is scary. It can be hard to know what to do or where to get help. It can be even harder when the person using violence against you is someone you care about and is someone who is supposed to care about you. We believe gaining safety and control in your life is your fundamental human right. You are the right to make choices that support your daily safety and recovery from abuse.

It is important to know that you are not alone and we can help guide you to find the right support for you. We offer a range of support services to strengthen your safety and support your recovery, including access to refuge and crisis accommodation, police advocacy, safety improvements to your home, material aid and specialist referrals.

We provide support and assistance to people experiencing family violence in the Ovens Murray region and 24 hour crisis care support. For immediate assistance contact the Orange Door on 1800 271 157. If you require our immediate support outside of business hours please call Safe Steps 1800 015 188.

You could also consider telling someone you trust and ask for their help – a friend, family member, professional or neighbour.

Always call the police on 000 in an emergency.

Sexual assault is any behaviour of a sexual nature that makes someone feel uncomfortable, frightened, intimidated or threatened.

Sexual Assault:

• Occurs when a person is forced, coerced or tricked into sexual acts against their will or without their consent
• Is about power and control
• Is a crime
• Is not the victim’s fault
• Can happen to anyone; regardless of age, gender identity, sexuality, intersex status, relationship status, financial circumstances, faith, religion or cultural background
• Most people know the person who assaulted them
• Some people are assaulted by strangers.

Sexual assault can include: 

• Someone showing you indecent images
• Being forced to look at pornography
• Being groomed online and/or asked to create sexual content
• Being touched or kissed inappropriately or against your wishes
• Sexual harassment
• Being raped
• Being forced into sexual activity with another
• person, animal or object
• Being pressured into sex or a sexual act
• Sexual assault by an intimate partner
• Any sexual act that makes you feel uncomfortable and occurs without your consent

We provide time-limited, free and confidential trauma-informed counselling in the Ovens Murray catchment area for adults, young people and children who have experienced or been impacted by sexual assault.

Our counselling services are client centred and offer a supportive and safe environment to gain an understanding of sexual assault, explore the impacts of sexual assault trauma and connect with personal resources to manage the effects and impacts of trauma. Our Counsellor Advocates are from multi-disciplinary backgrounds and are trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities that provide effective treatment for the impacts of sexual assault trauma.

Counselling for children and young people supports and strengthens the parent/carer and child relationship, and is likely to involve the parent/carer as we recognise how vital these relationships and roles are for children’s recovery.

Individual or family counselling may be brief, short term or longer term depending on assessed needs. We also offer counselling support for non-offending family members, carers and friends of people impacted by sexual assault.

Advocacy is a form of assistance beyond the counselling space. Many people find it hard to know what to do or who to contact after a sexual assault, and our Counsellor Advocates can help. We may make referrals and connect you with other services and supports that suit your needs, as well as connecting you with legal advice.

Counsellor Advocates can also advocate for your rights in settings such as police stations if reporting sexual assault to police, or hospital crisis care units if presenting to hospital after a sexual assault. We can also support you to navigate these processes and make important decisions.

We are available 24/7 for anyone in the Ovens & Murray catchment area who has experienced a sexual assault recently and needs immediate support. Our staff are on call 24 hours a day to attend to your needs and offer emotional support, practical assistance, and information about your options following a sexual assault.

Examples of these options include reporting to police, getting medical care and/or having a forensic medical examination at a hospital crisis care unit. We respect an individual’s right to choose the care and support they receive as well as the options they pursue following sexual assault at all times.

Contact our crisis care service, the state-wide Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL) on 1800 806 292 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

We work with fathers in the Ovens & Murray Region for the benefit of their children and significant others in their lives. Focus is on fathers’ accountability, countering attitudes linked to abusive and neglectful behaviors, and promoting healthy relationships between fathers and their child(ren) and other parent/carers. Program principles emphasise the need to enhance father’s motivation, promote child-centered fathering, respectful, non-abusive co-parenting and recognise the children’s experience of trauma. The program uses a combination of motivation enhancement, parent education and cognitive behavioural therapy to improve recognition and prioritisation of child needs, respect and support for children’s relationships with other parent/carers, listening and using praise, empathy for children’s experiences of maltreatment and to identify and counter the distortions underlying fathers’ past, and potentially ongoing, use of family violence.

There is no fee for this program. The program involves 2 hours weekly for 17 weeks.

Our next programs will begin in February 2024 in both Wangaratta and Wodonga. Referrals for these are now open. 

Kids First is the lead agency for Caring Dads and has partnerships in place to deliver the program accross Victoria. Caring Dads was created in partnership with the University of Toronto (Canada) in the fight to end domestic violence. Caring Dads is an internationally-implemented leading perpetrator-based program that is unique in its focus at the intersection of domestic violence and fatherhood. Caring Dads was developed in collaboration with child protective services, batterer intervention programs, children’s mental health agencies, women’s advocates, centers for children and families involved in the justice system, family resource agencies and probation and parole services.

University of Melbourne conducted a 3-year evaluation over three sites in Victoria between 2017-2020. Results included:

• Positive impact on fathers’ parenting and co-parenting practices
• Reduced risk of children’s further exposure to domestic and family violence
• Increased ability for fathers to identify the impact of their aggressive behaviour on their children

To read more about the evaluation: go to: https://www.kidsfirstaustralia.org.au/page/Caring-Dads-program-evaluation/

Eligible fathers:

• Physically or emotionally abused, neglected, and/or exposed their child(ren) to violence, and acknowledge they need to be better fathers.
• Have current access with their child(ren) and reside in Ovens & Murray region
• Have or be willing to have MARAM completed.
• May have their own history of trauma.
• May have criminal history but no reports of sexual offences.
• Any mental illness or AOD concerns are managed.
• Are able to sit in a group setting for two hours.
• Eligibility is further determined during a screening interview.

How to refer

Referrals can be made to omcasaintake@cav.org.au

We accept referrals from individuals and from external referrers. Our service will be seeking information relating to parenting history, including current IVOs, Family Court or Children’s Court orders. CAV will be advocating for participants to have active case management and for case managers to be actively engaged with Caring Dads facilitators.

Caring Dads info sheet for participants

Caring Dads Referrers Info Sheet

F-8 Caring Dads Referral to CAV Form FILLABLE OCT2022

An eight week group program for men aged 18+ who have experienced childhood sexual assault.

Be part of this opportunity to connect with other men in a safe environment, and feel supported and heard regarding your experiences. 

Wodonga Group: Term 1 (Starting week of February 5th)

Wangaratta Group: Term 3 (Starting week of July 22nd)

Empowered Healing is a therapeutic group focused on containment and healing. It’s also an opportunity to connect with other women and learn more about the impacts of their experiences in a safe and supportive environment.

The group is designed to support women over 18 years of age, who are victim survivors of sexual assault and/or family violence.

Attending this group will help women feel less isolated in their experiences of trauma, women will learn to strengthen emotional regulation and containment and will have the chance to listen to other women and their trauma responses to normalise and validate their own experiences.

Empowered Healing runs over 8 sessions of 2 hours each, and it will be delivered by two social workers with extensive experience in trauma counselling. Next group is starting on the week of April 15th.

For more information, please email omcasaintake@cav.org.au or give us a call.

A group of remarkable humans, all victim survivors of family and sexual violence worked together for almost a year, creating art to capture their stories and advocate for all those effected by violence. 

To learn more click here

Referral for service can be made by:

• Parents/carers of the child or young person;
• Community organisations that have active involvement with the child or young person;
• Police;
• Health professionals;
• Schools;
• Government Departments and Statutory Authorities, including DFFH Child Protection, Disability Services and DET;
• Courts.

Harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) is a term used to describe sexual actions that are outside what is safe for a young person’s stage of development. It includes actions that can harm either the child or young person themselves, or another person.

A child may exhibit sexually harmful behaviours by using their power, authority or status to engage another in sexual activity that is unwanted or where, due to the nature of the situation, the other party is not capable of giving informed consent. Sexual activity may include exposure, peeping, fondling, masturbation, oral sex, penetration of vagina or anus using penis, finger or object, or exposure to pornography.

Examples of Harmful Sexual Behaviours