​Family Violence

What is family violence?

Family violence is any threatening, coercive, dominating or abusive behaviour that occurs between people in a family and causes the person experiencing the behaviour to feel fear. Family Violence also includes behaviours that cause a child to witness or hear or otherwise be exposed to the effects of family violence. Family violence is not an argument once in a while; it is a continuous pattern of abusive behaviour perpetrated by one person towards another, often using multiple tactics. It can take many forms including coercive control, physical, sexual, psychological, emotional and spiritual violence. It also includes financial/economic abuse and technology facilitated abuse. Family violence can occur within a diverse range of family units including:

• Intimate partners (current or former): married or de facto couples with or without children
• Other family members; including siblings, step-parents, extended kinship connections
• Adolescent or adult children and their parents
• Older people and their adult children, relatives or carers
• People with disabilities and their relatives or carers.

In Victoria, intimate partner violence is the greatest contributor to illness, premature death and disability for women in their reproductive years (15 – 44 years). It is the greatest preventable contributor to the burden of disease than any other risk factor; including smoking, alcohol and obesity.

How to get help

If it is an Emergency please contact Police - 000

Note: For further mental health services, you can refer to our Mental Health Services

What we will do

Alpine Health recognises that;

• Family violence is a serious health issue and is harmful for a victim’s physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing.
• Family violence violates human rights and is not acceptable in any community or culture.
• Anyone can be a victim or perpetrator of family violence, but family violence is predominantly committed by men against women, children, those with disability, LGBTQIA+ people, and First Nations.
• Family violence is a complex issue and occurs throughout the lifespan. 

Health services play an important role in the health and safety of our community. The health system is an early contact point for many people who have or are experiencing family violence.  Health professionals are in a unique position to identify indicators of family violence, have conversations with our patients, clients or residents and provide support. Whilst our staff are not family violence experts, our health professionals are able to recognise the signs and risks, respond sensitively, and confidently use the appropriate referral pathways. 

Position Statement - Strengthening Hospital responses to Family Violence at Alpine Health