Help and Support
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call 000.
Support Services
This page provides specific contact details for services available Australia-wide and in each State and Territory.
More information about Women’s Safety can be found in related agencies and sites.
Crisis line numbers
| Australia-wide | Phone |
|---|---|
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The national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling service for anyone in Australia who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence or sexual assault. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 737 732 |
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Support groups and counselling on relationships, and for abusive and abused partners. |
1300 364 277 |
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Supports men who are dealing with family and relationship difficulties. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1300 789 978 |
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The Men’s Referral Service is a men’s family violence telephone counselling, information and referral service for men using or at risk of using violent or controlling behaviour. |
1300 766 491 |
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Telephone, email and web counselling for children and young people. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 55 1800 |
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Australian Childhood Foundation Counselling for children and young people affected by abuse. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 176 453 |
| Australian Capital Territory | Phone |
|---|---|
|
Domestic Violence Crisis Service Crisis intervention and counselling, family violence intervention program, education and information for the community. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
02 6280 0900 |
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Crisis support, counselling advocacy and support programs for men and women. 7am -10.30pm |
02 6247 2525 |
| New South Wales | Phone |
|---|---|
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NSW Domestic Violence Helpline The Domestic Violence Line is a 24 hour NSW statewide telephone crisis counselling and referral service for women, including trans women. Counsellors on the Domestic Violence Line can help you:
|
1800 656 463 (24 hours) / TTY 1800 671 442 |
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Provides telephone and online counselling for anyone who is or has experienced sexual violence and their supporters, 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 424 017 |
| Northern Territory | Phone |
|---|---|
|
Mon - Fri 9am – 5pm |
08 8973 8524 |
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Sexual Assault (Tennant Creek) Mon - Fri 9am – 5pm |
08 8962 4361 |
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Sexual Assault Referral Centre (Darwin) Free emergency service that provides crisis counselling and other support needs to both adult and children who have experienced any form of sexual assault or sexual abuse, either recently or in the past. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
08 8922 6472 |
|
Sexual Assault Referral Centre (Alice Springs) Free emergency service that provides crisis counselling and other support needs to both adult and children who have experienced any form of sexual assault or sexual abuse, either recently or in the past. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
08 8955 4500 |
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Short term crisis accommodation, referral and support for adult and young women over 18 years old. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
08 8981 5928 |
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Darwin Aboriginal and Islander Women’s Shelter Darwin Aboriginal and Islander Women’s Shelter provides services for women who are escaping family violence. The services include support, referral, outreach and domestic violence crisis accommodation. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
08 8945 2284 (24 hours) |
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Crisis accommodation and support service for women with children who are experiencing or escaping domestic or family violence. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
08 8945 1388 |
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Ruby Gaea (Darwin) Free counselling and support to women and children who have experience sexual assault at any time in their life. Monday – Friday 8.30am to 5pm. |
08 8945 0155 |
| Queensland | Phone |
|---|---|
|
DVConnect exists to help Queenslanders escape domestic, family and sexual violence by providing crisis helplines, as well as emergency transport and accommodation away from violence. DVConnect is a not-for-profit organisations that has provided statewide specialist domestic, family and sexual violence crisis counselling, intervention, information, safety planning and pathways to safety for almost 20 years. DVConnect is a free and confidential state wide telephone service running 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 811 811 (24 hours) |
|
Free state wide telephone service that provides counselling and referral for men for a range of issues especially those who have experienced or use domestic and family violence and those who are concerned about a friend or family member. 9am – 12 midnight, 7 days a week. |
1800 600 636 |
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DVConnect Sexual Assault Helpline Telephone service that provides counselling to women, men and young people who have experienced or are concerned someone they know has experienced sexual assault or abuse. 7.30am – 11.30pm, 7 days a week. |
1800 010 120 |
| South Australia | Phone |
|---|---|
|
Domestic Violence and Aboriginal Family Violence Gateway Services Counselling and support for women experiencing domestic and family violence. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 800 098 |
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Yarrow Place Sexual Assault Services Lead public health agency responding to adult rape and sexual assault in South Australia for people aged 16 years and over. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 817 421 |
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Domestic Violence Crisis Service The Domestic Violence Crisis Service Line is a statewide service offering assistance to women experiencing domestic violence in South Australia by providing information, counselling and safe accommodation options. |
1800 800 098 (24 hours) |
| Tasmania | Phone |
|---|---|
|
Family Violence Counselling Support Services Family Violence Counselling and Support Service provides information, counselling and support to assist children, young people and adults affected by family violence. |
1800 608 122 |
|
Safe at Home Family Violence Response and Referral Line Safe At Home is the Tasmanian Government’s integrated criminal justice response to family violence. It involves a range of services working together to protect and support victim-survivors of family violence, including young people and children, while making offender responsible for their behaviour. It is a Tasmanian information and referral service where callers are able to access the full range of response, counselling, information and other support services provided by Safe at Home. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 633 937 (24 hours) |
| Victoria | Phone |
|---|---|
|
Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre Victorian statewide service providing telephone support, information, referral, safety planning and risk assessment for women and children experiencing family violence. It is an access point for those who need to leave a violence situation and access emergency crisis accommodation. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 015 188 (24 hours) |
|
A statewide confidential, telephone crisis counselling service for people who have experienced both past and recent sexual assault. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 806 292 |
| Western Australia | Phone |
|---|---|
|
Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline The Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline is a statewide 24 hour service. It provides information, support and referral for people experiencing family and domestic violence as well as for those who are concerned about their violent and abusive behaviours. Help can include phone counselling, liaison with police if necessary, support in escaping situations of family and domestic violence and referral to safe accommodation. This service can also provide information about accessing legal advice, accommodation and other support services for people who have been served with a violence restraining order. A telephone based interpreting service is available if required. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
1800 007 339 (24 hours) |
|
Sexual Assault Resource Centre Statewide service providing emergency services and counselling for people who have experienced both past and recent sexual assault. |
1800 199 888 |
| Other support services | Phone |
|---|---|
|
National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline An Australia-wide telephone hotline for reporting abuse and neglect of people with disability 9am to 9pm weekdays and 10am to 4pm weekends and public holidays. |
1800 880 052 / TIS : 13 14 50 / NRS : 1800 555 677 |
|
Translating and Interpreting Service Free phone service to gain access to an interpreter in your own language. 24 hours, 7 days a week. |
131 450 |
|
The eSafetyWomen resources aim to help women manage technology risks and abuse by giving women the tools they need to be confident when online. |
|
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A free call phone number that connects callers with services in their state or territory for information and advice on elder abuse. |
1800 353 374 |
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Keeping Women Safe in their Homes A range of service providers across Australia providing assistance to women and their children who have experienced family and domestic violence to remain in their homes, or a home of their choosing, when it is safe and appropriate to do so. |
| Legal services (Australia-wide) |
|---|
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Provides information about family and domestic violence and the law in Australia, and links to helpful references and support services. |
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Specialist Domestic Violence Units (DVUs) Specialist Domestic Violence Units in each state and territory provide tailored legal assistance and other holistic support to women and children experiencing domestic violence. This includes assisting clients to access services such as:
Organisations that operate specialist DVUs in each state and territory can be found on the Attorney General’s Department website. |
|
Health Justice Partnerships (HJPs) Through HJPs operating in most Australian states and territories, lawyers and health professionals work together to assist women experiencing domestic violence. Lawyers work at hospitals and health centres to ensure women can access legal assistance in a safe location. They also train health professionals to recognise when women have legal problems related to domestic violence. Organisations who deliver HJPs can be found on the Attorney General’s Department website. |
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Family Advocacy and Support Service Each Australian State and Territory have a Family Advocacy and Support Service (FASS). FASS combines free legal advice and support at court for people affected by domestic and family violence. You can find contact details for all FASS locations, and general information about domestic and family violence and the law, on the FASS website. |
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Community Legal Centres Australia Community Legal Centres are independent, not-for-profit community organisations that provide legal services to the public. This link provides information about accessing support from Community Legal Centres in each state and territory. |
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Legal Aid Centres in each state and territory provide legal assistance to socially and economically disadvantaged Australians. This Fact Sheet provides information about Legal Aid services available in each state and territory. |
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National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSIL) NATSIL are the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services. This link provides information about services available to provide legal assistance and advice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. |
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What is domestic violence?
Domestic or family violence can include any behaviours used by one person to establish and maintain power and control over their partner or another person in his/her family, including:
- physical abuse - including direct assaults on the body, use of weapons, driving dangerously, destruction of property, abuse of pets in front of family members, assault of children, locking the victim out of the house, and sleep deprivation.
- sexual abuse - any form of forced sex or sexual degradation, such as sexual activity without consent, causing pain during sex, assaulting genitals, coercive sex without protection against pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease, making the victim perform sexual acts unwillingly, criticising, or using sexually degrading insults.
- emotional/psychological abuse - can include a range of controlling behaviours such as control of finances, isolation from family and friends, continual humiliation, threats against children or being threatened with injury or death.
- verbal abuse - continual ‘put downs’ and humiliation, either privately or publicly, with attacks following clear themes that focus on intelligence, sexuality, body image and capacity as a parent and spouse.
- social abuse - systematic isolation from family and friends through techniques such as ongoing rudeness to family and friends, moving to locations where the victim knows nobody, and forbidding or physically preventing the victim from going out and meeting people.
- economic abuse - complete control of all monies, no access to bank accounts, providing only an inadequate ‘allowance’, using any wages earned by the victim for household expenses.
- spiritual abuse - denying access to ceremonies, land or family, preventing religious observance, forcing victims to do things against their beliefs, denigration of cultural background, or using religious teachings or cultural tradition as a reason for violence.
What is sexual assault or violence?
Sexual violence is any behaviour of a sexual nature which is unwanted or occurs without consent. It includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse and rape. Sexual violence is an abuse of power which may involve the use of physical force, threat or coercion.
What help is available?
Countering violence against women is a shared responsibility and requires a national response. The Commonwealth Government sets the national policy agenda and provides a number of services that can assist people experiencing family or domestic violence, including support through the social security system, as well as housing, health, education and legal assistance services.
States and Territories are primarily responsible for the delivery of frontline services, and for the administration of justice and child protection responses. These include specialist domestic violence services, perpetrator programs, emergency accommodation, generalist services (eg health services, family relationships services), and police and the court system.
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