Domestic violence is not limited to physical assault.

Learn about coercive control, emotional manipulation, financial abuse, sexual violence, isolation, threats, stalking and technology-facilitated abuse.

Understanding the broader patterns of power and control can help you recognise situations that might otherwise be dismissed as relationship conflict or controlling behaviour.

Seek information from specialist domestic and family violence organisations rather than expecting survivors to educate you through their personal experiences.

Victim-blaming places attention on the survivor’s actions instead of the behaviour of the person causing harm.

Questions such as “Why didn’t they leave?” or “Why did they go back?” can make survivors feel judged and misunderstood.

More useful questions include:

Why did the person causing harm believe they had the right to control someone?

What prevented the survivor from accessing safety?

Were appropriate services available?

Did the systems surrounding them respond effectively?

Changing the questions changes where responsibility is placed.

Sharing accurate support information can help someone discover options they did not know were available.

Include national and local services in relevant articles, social media posts, community newsletters and workplace resources.

Be mindful that a survivor’s phone, computer or social media activity may be monitored. Avoid publicly tagging someone in domestic violence content or sending information that could place them at greater risk.

Where appropriate, remind people that they may need to use a safer device when looking for help.

Survivor stories can challenge myths, reveal gaps in existing systems and help others feel less alone.

However, no survivor owes the public their story.

Stories should only be shared with clear and informed consent. Survivors must retain control over what is disclosed, where it appears and whether their name or identity is used.

Supporting survivor-led advocacy also means recognising lived experience as expertise. Invite survivors into conversations about policy, prevention and service design, rather than discussing their lives without them.

Domestic violence does not stop when someone arrives at work or attends a community activity.

Workplaces and organisations can help by creating clear family and domestic violence policies, providing confidential pathways to support, training appropriate staff and responding compassionately when someone discloses abuse.

Community groups, schools, sporting clubs and service organisations can also examine how they respond to concerning behaviour.

A policy is only useful when people know it exists and trust that they will be treated with dignity when they use it.

Individual support matters, but survivors should not have to rely solely on personal goodwill.

Domestic violence prevention requires properly funded specialist services, safe and affordable housing, accessible legal assistance, trauma-informed healthcare, culturally appropriate support and effective responses from police and courts.

Advocacy can include contacting elected representatives, supporting community campaigns, attending public consultations and asking governments how prevention commitments are being funded and measured.

Accountability means looking beyond promises and examining whether survivors can access meaningful help when they need it.

There may be times when you witness controlling, threatening or abusive behaviour.

Bystander action does not always mean directly confronting the person causing harm. Confrontation can sometimes increase the danger for the survivor or the person intervening.

Depending on the circumstances, safe action may include:

Checking in privately with the person you are concerned about.

Naming a harmful comment or attitude when it is safe to do so.

Offering practical support without pressure.

Contacting emergency services when someone is in immediate danger.

Seeking advice from a specialist domestic violence service.

The goal is not to become a rescuer. It is to respond in a way that prioritises safety, dignity and the survivor’s choices.

Domestic violence advocacy involves raising awareness, supporting survivors, challenging harmful attitudes and working to improve the systems that respond to domestic and family violence. It can happen through community education, survivor support, workplace action, storytelling, campaigning and policy reform.

Listen without judgement, believe what they tell you and avoid pressuring them to leave or make an immediate decision. Ask what support would be useful, respect their choices and help them connect with specialist services when they are ready. Call emergency services if someone is in immediate danger.

A survivor may face financial dependence, housing insecurity, threats, concern for children or pets, isolation, disability, emotional attachment, fear of retaliation or a lack of safe alternatives. Returning does not mean the abuse was acceptable or that the survivor does not want help.

Yes. Advocacy can focus on warning signs, harmful attitudes, support services, policy reform, respectful relationships, prevention education and community responsibility. A survivor’s private experience should never be treated as necessary content for an awareness campaign.

Organisations can develop family and domestic violence policies, provide confidential support pathways, train staff, offer appropriate leave and flexibility, display support information and build partnerships with specialist services. They can also challenge disrespectful behaviour before it becomes normalised.