Supporting Someone in DFV

Advice for Family and Friends

It can be very worrying when someone you know and care about is being hurt or abused by a partner or family member. For many women, friends and family are often the first people they talk to about domestic and family violence.

It takes a lot of time, planning, help and courage to escape domestic and family violence. It is important for women to know that help is available from people who know and care about their situation.

As a support person, it is vital that that you express your concern and help them to understand that the violence is not their fault and is never ok. You can do this by:

listening to her without judgment
allowing her to make her own decisions
guiding her to a specialised domestic violence support service
helping her to make a safety plan
help her to find a safe place

As a family member or friend of someone subjected to violence or abuse, your support and reassurance is very important. Discussing domestic and family violence can be difficult and while supporting someone may not result in immediate change, it may help them consider options and ensure their safety in the longer term.

Further information on supporting a friend or family member living with domestic and family violence is available from:

Advice for Employers and Colleagues

Domestic and family violence goes well beyond being a private or personal issue and can negatively impact victims in their workplace, resulting in decreased performance and absenteeism and affecting the safety of the victim and their colleagues.

Victims need to be supported at their place of work. Being in an informed workplace where a victim feels safe to disclose their situation is important. Safety planning for the workplace can protect the person experiencing domestic violence and enable them to maintain their productivity.

More information on how to support and employee or colleague is available from the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria.