Victim survivors from multicultural and faith-based communities face the same forms of family and sexual violence as the wider community. They also face additional forms of violence, such as forced marriage and dowry abuse.
Building connections between family and sexual violence services and multicultural and faith-based organisations will help ensure victim survivors can get the right support when they need it.
This is why the Victorian Government launched the ‘Working Together: Strengthening Family and Sexual Violence Support with Multicultural Communities’ 2025-2027 grants program.
The program supports organisations such as the Centre for Multicultural Youth. They will partner with Maori organisation Ngā Mātai Pūrua, Anglicare Victoria and The Orange Door Western Melbourne. Through this partnership, staff will gain experience working with multicultural young people experiencing family violence from Pasifika communities.
The program also supports Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council working with the Ballarat Centre Against Sexual Assault. Together they will build shared knowledge of services and deliver training that ensures victim survivors can access culturally sensitive sexual assault support.
More information is at Working Together: Strengthening family and sexual violence support with multicultural communities <https://www.vic.gov.au/working-together-grants>.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000.
For 24/7 family violence support, call Safe Steps on 1800 015 188.
The Orange Door <https://www.orangedoor.vic.gov.au> can also provide help from 9am-5pm weekdays (closed public holidays).
The Sexual Assault Crisis Line Victoria also offers after-hours, confidential, telephone crisis counselling for people who have experienced sexual assault on 1800 806 292.
If you are concerned about your own behaviour or that of a friend or family member, call the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.