4 years ago
NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES LACKING ACCESS TO DV SUPPORT
LINDA BURNEY MP
Labor is calling on the Morrison Government to improve access to domestic violence support services for non-English speaking communities.
Callers from non-English speaking backgrounds or those who speak English as a second language have been found to be under-represented in accessing domestic violence support phone services.
Less than 10 per cent of callers to MensLine Australia identified as speaking English as a second language in 2019-20, answers from the Department of Social Services to questions on notice reveal.
During the same period, 1800 RESPECT recorded 17 calls – or 0.006 per cent – from males who spoke English as a second language.
Yet, more than one in five Australians speak a language other than English at home.
MensLine Australia offer interpreter services for clients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds as part of its Change for Good program.
And specialised family violence services deliver men’s behavioural change programs in languages other than English, including Arabic, Tamil, Vietnamese and Hazaragi.
Women and men in CALD communities experience unique barriers to accessing domestic and family violence support – language barriers being a major aspect.
Programs and measures to improve awareness and availability in CALD communities by services such as MensLine Australia are critical. And these organisations should be commended on rolling out these programs which ensure equality of access in all parts of the Australian community.
It is clear however, that these services need more support from the Government to improve engagement and out-reach to non-English speaking communities.
In 2015, Scott Morrison as Minister for Social Services commissioned a report titled ‘Hearing Her Voice: Kitchen table conversations on violence against culturally and linguistically diverse women and their children.’
Five years later and it seems little has changed.
Labor is calling on the Morrison Government to improve access for CALD communities for family violence support services.
Callers from non-English speaking backgrounds or those who speak English as a second language have been found to be under-represented in accessing domestic violence support phone services.
Less than 10 per cent of callers to MensLine Australia identified as speaking English as a second language in 2019-20, answers from the Department of Social Services to questions on notice reveal.
During the same period, 1800 RESPECT recorded 17 calls – or 0.006 per cent – from males who spoke English as a second language.
Yet, more than one in five Australians speak a language other than English at home.
MensLine Australia offer interpreter services for clients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds as part of its Change for Good program.
And specialised family violence services deliver men’s behavioural change programs in languages other than English, including Arabic, Tamil, Vietnamese and Hazaragi.
Women and men in CALD communities experience unique barriers to accessing domestic and family violence support – language barriers being a major aspect.
Programs and measures to improve awareness and availability in CALD communities by services such as MensLine Australia are critical. And these organisations should be commended on rolling out these programs which ensure equality of access in all parts of the Australian community.
It is clear however, that these services need more support from the Government to improve engagement and out-reach to non-English speaking communities.
In 2015, Scott Morrison as Minister for Social Services commissioned a report titled ‘Hearing Her Voice: Kitchen table conversations on violence against culturally and linguistically diverse women and their children.’
Five years later and it seems little has changed.
Labor is calling on the Morrison Government to improve access for CALD communities for family violence support services.