Help and advice

In an emergency - if someone is in immediate danger - call 000 now.

Remember:

If you are experiencing family or domestic violence it is not your fault - the person choosing to use abusive behaviour is 100% responsible.
Help and support is available for you, however, relationship counselling, anger management, mediation, or individual counselling are not appropriate ways to get help when there is domestic violence in a relationship. The services below can help with safety planning - this may include access to information, emergency accommodation or help with legal issues.
It is the responsibility of the person using violence to find help and change their behaviour.

24-hour Helplines

If it is not an emergency and you need help, these are telephone numbers you can call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are assisting someone who does not speak English, first call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 13 14 50 and they can connect you with the service of your choice and interpret for you.

Crisis Care Helpline
Telephone (08) 9223 1111 or free call 1800 199 008

Men's Domestic Violence Helpline
Telephone (08) 9223 1199 or free call 1800 000 599

Women's Domestic Violence Helpline (including for referral to a women’s refuge)
Telephone (08) 9223 1188 or free call 1800 007 339

Sexual Assault Resource Centre
Telephone (08) 9340 1828 or free call 1800 199 888

Police

In an emergency dial 000

Police Operations telephone 131 444

Call police on 131 444 to report an incident of family and domestic violence. Calls to 131 444 from most regional areas are automatically directed to the nearest police station.This number and the triple zero service (000) can be accessed via the National Relay Service on TTY 106.

SMSAssist is a text messaging service for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, which can be used for contacting WA Police and requesting assistance. It should not be relied upon in emergency and the service only applies to Western Australia. To use SMSAssist dial 0403 277 478.

Click here for a guide on how to report domestic and family violence to the police.

Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia (ALSWA) - provides legal representation and support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia. As well as the Perth office there are 17 regional ALSWA offices located in Albany, Broome, Bunbury, Carnarvon, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Geraldton, Halls Creek, Kalgoorlie, Kununurra, Laverton, Meekatharra, Newman, Northam, Roebourne, South Hedland and Warburton.
Telephone (08) 9265 6666 or (08) 9265 6644 (after hours)
Free call 1800 019 900 (from anywhere in Wesern Australia)

Kimberley Interpreting Service (KIS) provides interpreters accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) in more than 18 Kimberley and central desert Indigenous languages to clients anywhere in Australia.
Telephone (08) 9192 3981

Djinda Services is a specialist legal support service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that have experienced or are at risk of family and domestic violence or sexual assault. The service provides legal advice and representation in the areas of violence restraining orders; assisting victims – survivors of family violence and sexual assault; child protection, criminal injuries compensation where it relates to family violence; and family law including child support in the Perth metropolitan area.
Legal Advice, referral & information: 9200 2202 Counselling & Support: 9489 6391

Marninwarntikura Family Violence Prevention Legal Service
A legal service in the Fitzroy Crossing area for Aboriginal people experiencing domestic and family violence, and child and adult sexual assault.
Telephone (08) 9191 5284

Albany Family Violence Prevention Legal Service
A legal service in the Albany area for Aboriginal people experiencing domestic and family violence, and child and adult sexual assault
Telephone (08) 9842 7777

Yorgum Aboriginal Family Counselling Service
An Aboriginal community-controlled counselling, healing and support service located in Perth
Telephone (08) 9218 9477

Services for children and young people

Kids Helpline is a free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25 in Australia.
Telephone 1800 55 1800 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Email or web counselling services are available at www.kidshelp.com.au

The Patricia Giles Centre Children's Counselling Service provides individual counselling, group programmes, camps and family day outings for clients, mostly children aged 4–18, who have witnessed and/or experienced violence in the family.
Telephone (08) 6444 7684

Services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people

Multicultural Women’s Advocacy Service
For women with or without children who have experienced or are at risk from family and domestic violence. Telephone (08) 9328 1200 or free call 1800 998 399

Outreach services in:
Fremantle (08) 9336 8282
Gosnells (08) 9490 4988
Mirrabooka (08) 9344 8988
Northbridge (08) 9227 8122
Rockingham / Mandurah 0430 515 261

Multicultural Services Centre of WA Inc
Telephone (08) 9328 2699

Centrelink – Multicultural and Multilingual Services
Telephone 13 12 02

Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre
Telephone (08) 9388 7455 or free call 1800 659 921

Transcultural Mental Health Centre
Telephone (08) 9224 1760

Family Safety Pack
The Australian Government (Department of Social Services) has developed a family safety pack with information on Australia’s laws regarding domestic and family violence, sexual assault and forced marriage. The pack aims to reduce violence against women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, by ensuring they understand their rights and where to get support if needed. It also aims to strengthen support for women coming to Australia on a Partner Visa, by providing information on the family violence visa provisions and available support.

The pack includes four factsheets on the following topics: domestic and family violence, sexual assault, forced and early marriage, and family violence and partner visas. The pack also includes a low literacy storyboard.

The family safety pack factsheets have been translated into 22 languages and are available here: www.dss.gov.au/family-safety-pack

Services for people of diverse sex, sexuality and gender

Living Proud LGBTI Community Services of WA (formerly Gay & Lesbian Community Services of WA Inc) is a non-profit organisation which aims to promote the wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other sexuality, sex and gender diverse people in Western Australia.

Living Proud is a proud partner of QLife, Australia’s first nationally-oriented counselling and referral service for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people. QLife provides a nation-wide, early intervention telephone and web based service to people of all ages. Services may also be used by friends and family of LGBTI people and mainstream service providers who are seeking accurate information and referral options for their relatives, friends or clients. The service is confidential and staffed by trained peer volunteers who can also refer people to a LGBTI-friendly doctor, lawyer, psychologist, counsellor or other service.
Free call 1800 184 527 (daily from 5.30pm to 10.30pm) Online chat and support: www.qlife.org.au

Same Sex Domestic Abuse Group
An incorporated organisation raising awareness of, and providing support, information and education for people of diverse sexuality and gender, regarding relationship or family and domestic abuse.

Legal advice and assistance

Legal Aid WA

Domestic Violence Legal Unit – for help with restraining orders and safety issues
Telephone 9261 6254 or 9261 6320

Legal Aid Telephone Information Line – for advice about legal matters including family law and children’s matters 1300 650 579 or National Relay Service (for hearing and speech impaired) 13 36 77.

Women’s Law Centre
Specialist women’s legal service seeking to provide information, advice, minor assistance, representation, community legal education, law reform activities. Telephone (08) 9272 8800 or free call 1800 625 122

Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre
Telephone (08) 9440 1663

Fremantle Community Legal and Advocacy Centre
Telephone (08) 9432 9790 or TTY 9432 977

Gosnells Community Legal Centre
Telephone (08) 9398 1455

SCALES Community Legal Centre - Rockingham
Telephone 9550 0400

Family and domestic violence and the workplace

Safe at Home, Safe at Work website: www.dvandwork.unsw.edu.au/

Domestic & Family Violence Clauses in your Workplace – Implementation and good practice (PDF)

Gendered Violence and Work: The Case for Action (PDF)

Family and domestic violence and technology

Technology can be an important way to connect with family, friends and community. Unfortunately technology can also be used as a tool of abuse by perpetrators seeking to stalk and abuse women.

The www.smartsafe.org.au website was developed by the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria as part of a suite of tools and responses to technology-facilitated abuse in Australia. It aims to support education and awareness around the positive use of technology for those experiencing violence.

The Smartsafet website provides a Western Australian legal guide that explores the three primary areas of law relevant to people experiencing technology-facilitated stalking and abuse. The site also brings together the latest technology tips, advice, news and resources, including:
• advice for family and friends
• tech safety planning and privacy tips
• tech news related to stalking & violence against women

Other sources of information about technology based abuse include:
• Digital stalking: a guide to technology risks for victims www.digital-stalking.com
• Technology safety planning www.dvrcv.org.au/knowledge-centre/technology-safety
• National sexual assault and family and domestic violence counselling service www.1800respect.org.au/
• Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network www.acorn.gov.au/
• Law firms, for example, Perth Legal Net www.legalnet.com.au/civil-lawyers/internet-law/cyberbullying/

If you have been searching for information and contacts that can help on the internet, you may also want to cover your tracks online.

See the WA FDV Referral Guide 2016 for further information and contact details for specialist family and domestic violence and other related service providers.

See the Kimberley Region: FDV Referral Guide for family and domestic violence and related services in the Kimberley.