The Aboriginal Family Violence Strategy (AFVS) is an interactive process or an 'open framework' approach, where Aboriginal community people share responsibility for the design and development of their own programs and take 'action' in their communities. The Project Officers within the AFVS Unit upon an invitation from an Aboriginal community, holds workshops with groups or individuals to assist Aboriginal community people recognise that acts of violence committed against individuals is not only against the law but a violation of basic human rights and a contradiction of cultural values. In recognising these aims, Aboriginal community people will be in a better position to develop action plans to address any violence whilst working towards reducing the incidence of violence in their community.
The most powerful motivator is the desire to foster change and bring about improvement for their family and their community. The workshops are designed to consider the lifestyles, customs, culture and the philosophies of the participants and the community in which they live.
HOW DID THE STRATEGY WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY PEOPLE
Alcohol has become a way of life and is seen to relieve much of the stress associated with the social problems, like unemployment, homelessness, frustration and family violence. The Club has been made responsible and accountable, there is no takeaways and violent offenders are banned from the Club. The Club is seen as a venue, and an opportunity for both men and women to meet socially.
The advantage of having the Club is that community members do not need to travel a long way to drink and community control comes from within the community structure. Under the guidance of a Co-ordinator, Night Patrol(s) both men's and women's is one of the ways in which volunteers, nominally the senior women and Elders, ensure that women, men and children are protected and supported in the community. The workers drive around at night, ensuring that women, men and chi_ldren are safe from violent partners and others, and report the beatings, bashings and violence.
The volunteers usually consist of the four (4) skin groups (males and females) and operate from 4pm until 4am on most nights. The Night Patrols liaise with the Aboriginal Community Police Officers (ACPOS) to encounter the alcohol and violent situations. If the Night Patrols are unable to resolve disputes with the assistance of the ACPOS, then the non-Aboriginal Police Officers who are based on Pularumpi, Garden Point, are alerted at an early stage to any potential problem.
Should problems eventuate, then the Council has the ability to contain the problem until the arrival of the Police. CDEP workers (women) operate and manage the Centre, they cater to the senior women and elderly and it is also used as a safe house. In some cases, women shelter at selected safe houses within the community - these houses have very little security.
The women who own these houses are from the Night Patrol and are senior women and Elders within the community. The Mother's Club deals directly with the Council and is seen as the strength behind the women's programs. These women are volunteers, and they see the need, and are committed to the change in the social behaviour of the community.
If there is a program request, the women have to borrow or beg to ensure that program caters for the women in the community. When issues arise about family violence, the Mother's Club march on the Council and give their views on how the matter should be addressed and resolved.
Jnmil!J Connection
The community decided that they needed someone to coordinate the social issues within the community. So they advertised within the community and have now appointed a male adult "Social Harmony" officer. There was major concerns about the numbers of young children ranging from 5 year olds to early teens roaming the community to well after midnight, each night.
The Centre was identified as a community need, and was initiated by the newly appointed Social Harmony Officer through community support, assistance and in conjunction with the AFVS Project Officers. Renovations to the old Council Offices was identified and the painting and refurbishing of the Centre was through the labour force of the CDEP labour force, Army (donations of tents, sleeping bags, Social Club (donations of TV and Video Player/Recorder). The community has now taken up responsibility and accountability under the guidance of the newly appointed Social Harmony Officer.
The objectives of the Centre is for adolescent youths to enjoy activities such as skating, go-carts, dances, plays, indoor sports, to watch television and movies and has sleeping bags, when the need arises within a family, when the dangers of returning home is not commendable. The initiative was instrumental by the Social Harmony Officer, through community support, assistance and in conjunction with the AFVS Project Officers. The Centre is seen as a place where the youths, adult men and elderly can sit and talk about violence, suicide, grog, gambling, drugs, unemployment and depression.
Within the Centre, there will be a room set aside for private screenings/interviews for counselling on sensitive issues. The Centre has already organised its Operations Committee with representation from the four (4) skin groups within the community. However, funding for the Centre through the Council is not available now, but has been projected, for the next financial year 1997/98.
The community has achieved the first steps to overcoming violence and that is by talking about it. Community people realised they needed to give back to themselves the old cultural values of respect for themselves and others, of peace, of caring, of looking out for one another and the safety and protection of their families. They identified what the community already had in place, and then they identified and made decisions on what they needed to put in place.
The community themselves determined the most appropriate method of dealing with family violence through sharing responsibilities and by taking positive community action. Feedback from the Aboriginal Leaders and Elders has been considered the most important, culturally appropriate and valid measure.