Arabic version: نساء من مناطق نائية في الإقليم الشمالي يقدمن حلولاً للعنف الأسري

According to ABC News, women in Wadeye and Peppimenarti have presented a report to the Northern Territory and federal governments setting out community-led responses to domestic and family violence. The Mapping Women and Children’s Safety report was delivered three weeks ago, but the women had not received a government response.

Peppimenarti resident Annunciata Nunuk Wilson said a safe house was her community’s most urgent need. Peppimenarti has no safe house, while the nearest police are in Wadeye, an hour’s drive away. Ms Wilson said she had helped women injured by partners, including a woman she took from the street to her home before assisting her to reach a clinic.

The report was based on interviews with dozens of community members and stakeholders, including local police. Its contributors said most children in the two communities had been exposed to domestic violence, with very young children re-enacting what they witnessed. They also raised concerns about girls aged 13 to 15 becoming pregnant to much older men in violent relationships.

In Wadeye, contributor Bridget Bunduck said the community’s four-bed safe house was insufficient for a population of 2,500 and should have its capacity doubled or tripled. Other priorities identified by the women include counselling, a men’s behaviour-change program, safe accommodation, a sobering-up shelter, and more police and security. Australian National University researcher Chay Brown, who assisted with the report alongside the Thamarrurr Development Corporation, said solutions needed to be driven by the community.

Federal Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said the federal government was funding services in Wadeye, including the safe house, and was investing $120 million in Northern Territory services to tackle domestic violence. NT Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Robyn Cahill was not available for interview.