7am Why the major parties won’t fix the domestic violence crisis
May 1, 2025
Dr. Tracy Westerman, a Nyamal woman and psychologist from Western Australia's Pilbara region, sheds light on the alarming domestic violence crisis affecting Aboriginal women. She discusses the deafening silence from major political parties amid rising fatalities, emphasizing the misguided causes attributed to this violence. Tracy advocates for data-driven approaches and genuine community involvement to tackle the issue and critiques existing governmental policies. Her insights call for immediate action to protect vulnerable women in remote communities.
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Systemic Failures Affect Indigenous Women
- Indigenous women are 35 times more likely to be victims of intimate partner violence.
- Systems often fail them by mistaking victims for perpetrators and removing children from victimized mothers.
Exclusion and Financial Control
- Indigenous women were excluded from the biggest Australian IPV research in 2023.
- Financial abuse and cashless welfare cards increase Indigenous women's vulnerability to violence.
Lack of Indigenous Consultation
- Governments frequently misunderstand prevention and fail to consult Indigenous experts and grassroots services.
- This leads to victim-blaming rhetoric and ineffective responses to intimate partner violence.