Finding Safety and Support: A Guide for Oromo Families Facing Family Violence in Victoria
Family violence is never acceptable. For Oromo families in Victoria, culturally safe help is available—and you are not alone.
It can start with a raised voice. A threat. A push. Or it can be quieter—control over money, isolation from friends, constant criticism that wears you down until you don’t recognise yourself anymore.
Family violence happens across all communities, but for people from migrant and refugee backgrounds, the barriers to seeking help can feel overwhelming. Fear of authorities, shame, language barriers, and visa uncertainty can make it seem easier to stay silent .
But staying silent is never the answer. And help is closer than you think.
What Is Family Violence?
Family violence is more than physical abuse. It includes:
- Emotional abuse: constant criticism, humiliation, or control
- Financial abuse: controlling access to money, preventing you from working
- Social isolation: stopping you from seeing family or friends
- Coercive control: threats, intimidation, and manipulation
- Sexual violence: any unwanted sexual activity
- Threats to children: using children to control you
For Oromo families, violence can also be linked to cultural expectations, dowry-related disputes, forced marriage, or visa insecurity .
Where to Start: First Steps to Safety
If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
This is the most urgent step. Police in Victoria are trained to respond to family violence, and they can help you leave a dangerous situation safely .
For confidential advice and support, call:
- 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732): National helpline for sexual assault and family violence, available 24/7
- Safe Steps (1800 015 188): Victoria’s 24/7 family violence crisis support line
- Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491): Support for men who want to stop using violence
The Orange Door: Your Single Entry Point
In Victoria, The Orange Door is the main entry point for family violence support. It brings together multiple services in one place—specialist family violence services, child wellbeing services, and men’s services—to provide coordinated help .
What The Orange Door offers:
- A single point of contact for family violence support
- Risk assessment and safety planning
- Connection to counselling, financial help, and housing support
- Culturally safe services with staff who reflect the diversity of the community
- Help for everyone—regardless of gender, ethnicity, or background
Contact The Orange Door:
- Phone: 1300 271 045 (9am–5pm, Monday–Friday)
- Online: http://www.orangedoor.vic.gov.au
- In-person: Visit a hub near you
Culturally Specific Support for Oromo and Multicultural Communities
Victoria has invested more than $4 billion to prevent and respond to family violence . A significant part of this investment focuses on making services accessible to multicultural communities.
InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence
InTouch is a specialist organisation dedicated to supporting migrant and refugee women experiencing family violence. They provide:
- Culturally appropriate counselling and case management
- Flexible support packages for CALD women across Victoria
- Help navigating visa and legal issues linked to family violence
- Advocacy for women facing dowry-related abuse, forced marriage, or visa insecurity
Contact InTouch: 03 9413 6500
Advocacy for Oromia (A4O)
Based in Melbourne, Advocacy for Oromia has been supporting the Oromo community since 2010 . Their work includes:
- Community education about respectful relationships and gender equality
- Information sessions on family violence prevention
- Collaboration with Victoria Police and organisations like Wayss to provide community-based support
In 2019, Advocacy for Oromia organised the first Oromo Interfaith Forum in Melbourne, bringing together Christian, Muslim, and Waaqeffannaa religious leaders to speak about the importance of respectful relationships between husbands and wives .
Contact Advocacy for Oromia:
- Phone: 0432 057 473
- Email: info@advocacy4oromia.org
- Address: 39 Clow St, Dandenong VIC 3175; 247-251 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Government and Sector Initiatives
The Victorian and Australian governments are actively working to strengthen family violence responses for multicultural communities.
Working Together Program
Through the Working Together: Strengthening Family and Sexual Violence Support with Multicultural Communities program, the Victorian Government has invested more than $5.7 million in 17 partnership projects across the state .
These projects build connections between multicultural organisations and specialist family violence services to:
- Break down barriers to support
- Deliver culturally safe services
- Provide tailored responses for communities experiencing unique forms of harm
For the first time, this program includes projects focused specifically on sexual violence in multicultural communities .
Co-case Management and Co-location
Across Victoria, partnership projects are delivering:
- Co-case management: multicultural organisations and specialist services working together
- Co-location models: placing culturally specific workers inside mainstream services
- Integrated policy and training across the service system
- Community conversations: supporting awareness of sexual violence and how to seek help
Supporting Multicultural Young People
The I Need to Know You’re Safe Framework, developed by the Centre for Multicultural Youth and Anglicare Victoria, addresses gaps in family violence services for multicultural young people .
Key insights from this framework:
- Young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds often face mistrust, fear of harm, systemic racism, and community exclusion when seeking help
- Establishing trust takes time and intentional effort
- Services must be youth-focused and culturally responsive to effectively meet needs
Practical and Financial Support
Flexible Support Packages
Victim survivors from CALD communities can access Flexible Support Packages through organisations like inTouch. These packages provide practical help to:
- Establish safety and long-term stability
- Cover counselling, wellbeing costs, education, employment-related costs
- Address housing, transport, and other material needs
Family Violence Financial Counselling
Free and confidential financial counselling is available to help people experiencing family violence. Financial counsellors can assist with:
- Managing debt and financial difficulty
- Accessing support payments
- Navigating housing and tenancy issues
- Planning for financial independence
Legal Assistance
The Strengthening Legal Pathways for CALD Women project provides free community legal education on family violence and other legal issues. Sessions cover family law, family violence, police powers, tenancy, and more, in both online and face-to-face formats .
Breaking the Silence: A Message to Oromo Families
Family violence thrives in silence. It thrives when we are too ashamed to speak, too afraid to act, or too uncertain of the system to reach out for help.
But here is the truth: you deserve to be safe. You deserve respect. And there is support that understands your language, your culture, and your story.
Community leaders in the Oromo community are already working to break the cycle. As the message from Advocacy for Oromia reminds us:
“The prevention of family violence can be achieved by promoting respectful relationships, love and harmony that lead to gender equality: finding meaning in life and fostering a sense of belonging.”
Whether you are a woman, a man, a young person, or an elder—if you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, reach out. Help is available in your language, with respect for your culture.
Emergency and Support Contacts
| Service | Contact |
|---|---|
| Emergency (Police, Ambulance, Fire) | 000 |
| 1800 RESPECT | 1800 737 732 (24/7) |
| Safe Steps (Victoria) | 1800 015 188 (24/7) |
| The Orange Door | 1300 271 045 (9am-5pm weekdays) |
| Men’s Referral Service | 1300 766 491 |
| InTouch Multicultural Centre | 03 9413 6500 |
| Advocacy for Oromia | 0432 057 473 |
| Child Protection Emergency | 131 278 |
If you are not sure where to start, call The Orange Door or contact Advocacy for Oromia. They can help you navigate the system, in your language, and with respect for who you are.
You are not alone. Your safety matters. And there is a community ready to support you.
Advocacy for Oromia 