Thursday, 28 November 2024

 Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (18:14): (1338) My adjournment is for the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence. The action I seek is the establishment of a culturally specific women’s refuge in Victoria for vulnerable women from migrant and refugee communities. Minister, these services are well established in other Australian jurisdictions. In New South Wales the Immigrant Women’s SpeakOut Association and in Queensland Sahara House are life-saving refuges for vulnerable families from multicultural diasporas.

Many thousands of women, children and gender-diverse people are affected by violence and abuse every day. Violence does not discriminate – young or old, able-bodied or neurodiverse, wealthy or poor – across cultures. We know certain attributes can increase a person’s risk, and without dedicated cultural, migrant or refugee services, women can all too often fall through the cracks. For those fleeing an abusive situation, a safe place – a refuge – is their greatest need. Family violence refuges do all they can to provide cultural safety for so many families, and I acknowledge the dedication that they have to inclusivity and intersectional justice.

I also want to pay tribute to inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence, who do such brilliant and spirited work for migrant and refugee women. Shakti Australia once operated in Victoria, specialising in domestic violence and crisis intervention for people experiencing abuse linked to culture, such as dowry-related violence, forced marriage and visa insecurity. I know of the amazing work that they were doing in Victoria’s multicultural communities, but this service shut down prematurely due to a lack of funding. They left behind a legacy of tireless advocacy for culturally specific refuges in Victoria. This year’s theme for 16 days of activism is hope in action, and while I stand here in hope, that hope is for a safer future that includes all women and gender-diverse people. I also stand here to say we must act now to prevent even one more death as a result of family violence. We must act now to establish a culturally specific family violence refuge for vulnerable women from migrant and refugee communities.