Closing the Gap targets: key findings and implications

Target

The target associated with Outcome 13 of the 2020 National Agreement is to reduce by at least 50% the rate of all forms of family violence and abuse against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children, as progress towards zero by 2031 from a baseline of 8% in 2018–19.

Background

The societal consequences of family violence are far reaching and substantially affect not only the victim and offender but also other family members and the broader community.

Family violence can lead to family dysfunction and parenting challenges, with children being removed from households, which can further perpetuate the cycle of violence. It can also lead to higher rates of imprisonment, particularly for men.

Family violence is a substantial contributor to morbidity and mortality in Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) population, particularly for First Nations women.

The high rates of family violence among First Nations people have been linked with colonisation, dispossession and cultural dislocation, dislocation of families through removal, marginalisation, unemployment, welfare dependency, past history of abuse, addictions, health and mental health issues, and low self-esteem and a sense of powerlessness.

Poverty has been shown to be associated with violence in a number of ways:

• Those who live in poverty more frequently engage in acts of violence as a consequence of living in poor housing conditions, distressed neighbourhoods and disrupted families.
• However, violence can cause poverty at the aggregate level by creating an environment which is not favourable for economic development or growth.

Poor housing conditions and overcrowding exacerbate violence and make First Nations women and children vulnerable to abuse from a broad range of potential abusers.

Previous research has found an association between low educational attainment and unemployment with an increased risk of experiencing family violence.

Drivers of family violence can also be attributable to inadequate criminal justice responses and/or health and community services. Coroners have identified several problems in risk assessment, patient discharge, follow-up and support – with a distinct lack of service integration in identifying and treating men involved in physical violence.

Current status

Based on the 2018–19 NATSIHS, 8.4% (21,700) of the estimated 259,000 First Nations women aged 15 and over reported that they have experienced physical or face-to-face threatened physical harm from a family member in the past 12 months. An estimated 12,400 (57%) reported experiencing harm from a spouse or partner, and an estimated 8,000 (37%) from other family members.

There are no new data since the baseline year of 2018–19 for this target, and progress towards it is not possible to track at this stage.

The proportion of First Nations women aged 15 and over who reported experiencing family violence varied only slightly between jurisdictions, ranging from 6.4% in Queensland to 10% in New South Wales.

The lowest proportion First Nations women aged 15 and over who experienced family violence were among those living in Major cities (6.6%), the highest proportion were among those living in Inner regional areas (12%), followed by those living in Remote areas (10%).

Over the past decade, the number and crude rate of hospitalisations for family violence for First Nations women aged 15 and over has increased overall, from around 1,900 hospitalisations (780 per 100,000 population) in 2012–13 to around 2,800 hospitalisations (940 per 100,000) in 2020–21; however, in 2021–22, the number and rate fell to around 2,400 (780 per 100,000).

Between 2019–20 and 2021–22, First Nations women aged 15 and over and First Nations children aged 0–14 living in the Northern Territory had the highest rate of hospitalisations for family violence. The rate was more than 2 times that of other states and territories.

Between 2019–20 and 2021–22, First Nations women aged 15 and over and First Nations children 0–14 living in Remote and very remote areas had the highest rate of hospitalisations for family violence. The rate was more than 5 times that of other remoteness areas for First Nations women and around 2 and 3 times for First Nations boys and girls.

Key findings

A literature review indicates that there are a number of interrelated factors that contribute to the higher risk of family violence: 

• Past policies and practices of colonisation continue to have an impact on First Nations communities and have caused considerable social, economic, physical, psychological and emotional trauma.
• Social and economic disadvantage, health and mental wellbeing, and alcohol and drug use are exacerbated by factors mentioned above in First Nations communities, and have been shown in the broader literature to be associated with family violence. 

Statistically significant drivers of family violence among First Nations women aged 15 and over identified through the primary data analysis included:

• socioeconomic factors (as measured through household income and not being able to afford to buy more food)
• having disability or a mental health condition
• factors specific to First Nations people related to unfair treatment and removal from natural family.

Strategies for improvement

The evidence on what works in reducing family violence among First Nations people remains inconclusive. However, based on the few evaluations of family violence programs, some aspects of successful programs include:

• involving the community in service planning
• adopting family-focused case management
• encouraging engagement and relationship building
• considering cultural factors
• delivering integrated services
• planning for long-term sustainability
• having a holistic focus, and adopting flexible, trauma-aware and healing-informed approaches.

Programs that simultaneously target victims, perpetrators and communities have been argued to be more effective, considering the complexity of family violence within First Nations communities.

Victim support services are an important element in healing when it is appropriate to deliver services to the victim separately from those delivered to the perpetrator.