Aboriginal Family Violence

My discussion will concentrate on the definition of Family Violence and how it affects Aboriginal children and the issues impacting upon family violence in Aboriginal communities. I will look at government policies affecting family violence in Aboriginal communities and possible suggestions for reducing the burden on Out of Home Care agencies and providers for Aboriginal children.
I have used the term Family Violence as opposed to domestic violence in Aboriginal communities because of the importance of kinship, family connections, interrelationships and cultural practices. (https://www.aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/child-abuse-and-neglect-indigenous-australian-communities, Stanley, Tomison & Pocock 2003 p1).
Family violence is traditionally
associated with cases of physical violence occurring within intimate relationships and in a domestic setting. It is most commonly perpetrated by a male against a female partner, but it also includes violence against men.
Family violence occurs in both heterosexual and homosexual relationships and includes married, de facto and separated adolescents and adults (Flood & Fergus 2008). Again, from an Aboriginal perspective family violence can also be defined as the physical, emotional, sexual, social, spiritual, cultural, psychological and economical abuse that occurs within families, intimate relationships, kinship networks and communities. (http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/people/domestic-and-family violence)
Issues

The incidence of family violence in Aboriginal communities relate to a history of European colonization and dispossession, racism and discrimination on a daily basis, unemployment, jealousy, overcrowding, access to essential services, boredom, isolation, drugs and alcohol (especially the new scourge ice) family disputes relating to ownership and family control of Aboriginal services in small communities

Recent statistics suggest there are more Indigenous children in the out-of-home care system in Australia than any other demographic. For example as at “30 June 2014, approximately 35% (n = 14,991) of all children in out-of-home care were identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander”. The report concludes: “In all jurisdictions there were higher rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care than non-Indigenous children” (https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/child-protection-and-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-children)

Aboriginal communities are trying to take a stand against family violence in their communities by adopting simple strategies such as Aboriginal male football teams banning players from participating in their team on the weekend if men are involved in family violence episodes. Across the country Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men are holding Aboriginal men’s camps to talk about family violence and develop strategies to combat such behaviours. There has been a strong push through advertising campaigns e.g. TV, radio, newspapers, and marketing etc. by high-profile Aboriginal sports men e.g. (Adam Goodes, Greg Ingles) to showcase that Family violence is wrong and not part of Aboriginal culture.
In relation to government responses to the over representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care there needs to more consultation with Aboriginal policy advisors, Aboriginal Elders and mainstream Aboriginal organisations that are familiar with Aboriginal children in care e.g. Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAIC).
There needs to be a holistic approach to combating family violence with particular attention on the whole family not just the perpetrator and the victim.
Other workable strategies could include:
• Cultural Awareness training for staff that work directly with Aboriginal children and their families in the Out of Home Care environment.
• Extra funding and support to employ Aboriginal liaison officers to work in collaboration with policy makers to engage a better dialogue with Aboriginal families and their children
• Funding pool for Aboriginal carers who take Aboriginal children into their care
• Training and support for Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal men and women who want to be cares for Aboriginal children
• An awareness and educational program to reduce the number of Aboriginal children in out of home care.
• Strategies to decrease the burden on Aboriginal Elders who have been long-term cares of Aboriginal Children
There are many reasons why Aboriginal people are reluctant to report the abuse and neglect of Aboriginal children caught up in family violence situations. This includes the shame and fear of experiencing racism and discrimination, the legacy of the Stolen Generation, the fear of reprisal from the perpetrators in small closed communities or pay-back from relatives and the fear of the police. There are also strong concerns in the community relating to Indigenous deaths in Custody where a report of family violence could lead to incarceration and another Aboriginal death in custody, which the victim/s of family violence may feel responsible for. (Robertson 2000; Aboriginal Women's Task Force and the Aboriginal Justice Council 1995)

Long Term Impact on Aboriginal Children

There is evidence to suggest that the prevalence of family violence impacts on Aboriginal children creating many long term issues such as suicide, mental health, their spiritual, social and emotional wellbeing.
Other issues include Aboriginal children growing into adulthood and perpetrating family violence themselves (predominately men), low self-esteem, unable to maintain imitate relationships, drug and alcohol abuse and anti-social behaviour.

“Children who are bashed by their parents will bash their own children,” says Germaine Greer (http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/people/domestic-and-family-violence)
In recent weeks in mainstream media there have been lots of commentary on Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the appalling rate of Aboriginal men and women in incarceration as a direct result of family violence, drug and alcohol issues, Intergenerational trauma and other more serious offences.
Solutions
From an Aboriginal perspective there seems to be a kneejerk reaction from government agencies and non-Aboriginal policy makers in dealing sensitivity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the out of home care system.
A case in point was the racist implementation of The Northern Territory Intervention in 2007 as a result of rampant sexual abuse of Aboriginal children highlighted in the “Little Children are Sacred Report”. To further illustrate my point of a kneejerk reaction, in the 8 years since the implementation of the NT Emergency Response there has not been one prosecution for child abuse come from that exercise.
(https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Territory_National_Emergency_Response)

Conclusion
It would seem that Family violence in Aboriginal communities needs to be addressed by Aboriginal people themselves coming up with effective strategies to minimise the devastating effects that directly impact upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
There needs to be a holistic approach in dealing with this terrible crisis from both sides of government and everybody working together. Aboriginal communities themselves must take responsibility from what’s happening in their communities and address the underlying issues (drug and alcohol, fighting, sexual abuse) which may result in another stolen generation of kids.
Whist the removal of Aboriginal children might be necessary in extreme cases it should always be seen as a last resort due to the important of allowing an Aboriginal child to maintain their identity, and to practice and learn their culture in a culturally safe environment.

In relation to the context in which this is written I will finish with a famous traditional African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child’.