A new project is asking entire communities in regional South Australia to help prevent family and domestic violence.

Key points:

  • Preventing domestic and family violence in regional towns needs a whole community approach
  • The program wants to hear from groups not traditionally linked to domestic violence 
  • Organisers will visit Whyalla, Limestone Coast, Riverland and Murray Mallee

The program aims to improve community-wide efforts in Whyalla, the Riverland, Limestone Coast, and Murray Mallee.

“Domestic and family violence is everybody’s business,” Centacare Catholic Family Services project manager Megan Hughes said.

“To enable change, we need everybody to be doing work that encourages preventative activities so that we can create safer communities.

“We don’t want to just see women and children churning through services and not being able to settle and fully participate in society.”

The team will visit the Limestone Coast (pictured), Whyalla, the Riverland and Murray Mallee monthly until June 2022.(ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham)

Work has started to identify community groups that can play a bigger role in preventing family violence which increased in regional communities particularly during the pandemic.

Ms Hughes said lockdowns further isolated women already in unsafe situations who were unable to leave their homes, relationships or get help.

Close-knit regional communities with strong networks also pose unique challenges for vulnerable families because domestic violence workers and health professionals often know both the perpetrator and victim.

‘Family violence exists in all communities’

Ms Hughes said the project will take a collaborative and community-wide approach.

It will work with civil society groups, workplaces, local government, and education settings to challenge rigid gender stereotypes and change social norms, she said.

“We know hairdressers provide pathways [for women] to support services — they’re critical communities,” she said.

Ms Hughes says she doesn’t want women and children “churning” through crisis services, so the project aims to improve community prevention.(ABC News: Christopher Gillette)

She said sporting clubs were a particular focus in the regions as they fostered strong community links and provided locals with a central point to gather and celebrate.

“Sporting groups are a really important way in which we want to send new messages about respectful relationships and respecting women and girls.”

Ms Hughes said they also wanted to hear from groups that weren’t traditionally associated with family violence like First Nations, LGBTQI+ and CALD groups so they can build a safer community for everybody.

Ms Hughes said there was also an opportunity for social enterprises to get involved in the project, to help create and build confidence in women.

She said the project will be driven by regional communities and the priority areas that they would like addressed.

“We’re not coming from the city and telling the country what to do,” she said.

Ms Hughes says sporting clubs are a good opportunity to address respectful relationships.(ABC News: Luke Bowden)

The joint project between Centacare Catholic Family Services, Flinders University and the state government’s Office for Women will involve monthly visits to these regions until June 2022.

“This is the first stage, and we would hope by February that we’ll have a good idea about what those communities want and how we might be able to support that.”

Posted , updated