'The answers were there before white man come in': stories of strength and resilience for responding to violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities - Family Community Safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Study Report

Abstract

In 2017, the Department of Social Services (DSS) commissioned The Australian National University to undertake the Family and Community Safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (FaCtS) Study. The study was designed to answer the overarching question: What would it take to effectively address family and community violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities? We sought to answer this question by gathering both qualitative and quantitative data from community members and service providers. Our findings are augmented by a literature review. From the outset, the study team recognised that research leadership by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was fundamental to generating meaningful data. We believed that this would lead to findings valuable for informing actions by communities, service providers and the government that will be effective in reducing the incidence and impacts of violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities. To that end, the FaCtS Study is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led and governed study which privileges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, cultures and knowledge. It makes a significant contribution to the currently limited evidence available to inform communities, policymakers and service providers about effectively supporting those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, families and communities who experience and are exposed to family and community violence. We present implications for action and solutions that emerged through interviews, focus groups and surveys with community members and service providers