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Indigenous women are disproportionately affected by the prevalence and severity of domestic and family violence (DFV) perpetrated by men against women in Australia. The impact of their experiences is further exacerbated by the level of social and cultural marginalisation affecting Indigenous communities, families and individuals along with regional, rural or remote living. The pervasive, ongoing impact of colonisation, dispossession and transgenerational trauma continues to shape the experiences of Indigenous women and their communities, including their help‐seeking decisions and opportunities, and their level of trust in and access to adequate and culturally sensitive support services. In this paper, we explore the experiences of Indigenous women affected by DFV in two regional Australian settings through face‐to‐face interviews with women (n = 13) and community stakeholders (n = 18). The findings of this study highlight the complex role of social and cultural marginalisation, spiritual (dis)connectedness and role of family as both a stressor and a protective factor. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the cultural drivers of domestic and family violence (DFV) has become a core policy priority for governments across Australia. Over the last five years, the Queensland Government has taken a particularly strong stance on the issue through its Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Strategy 2016–2026. This strategy identifies the Queensland Government's leading aim of changing the community culture that drives DFV. Although there is significant evidence to support this aim, there is equally important evidence suggesting that public policies often contain problematic assumptions and ideologies that limit their ability to achieve their aims. This article presents a critical discourse analysis of Queensland's Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Strategy 2016–2026 and related policy documents to examine the assumptions and ideologies underpinning Queensland's policy and their potential to impact on policy outcomes. The findings broadly identify three areas of concern, namely an assumed link between attitudes and behaviours; a disproportionate focus on general community members compared to DFV perpetrators; and an implicit reinforcement of the gender hierarchy. The article concludes with a discussion of the broader implications of these findings for future policy development in Australia. This article presents a critical discourse analysis of the Queensland Government's current domestic and family violence policy. It identifies three distinct barriers that limit the policy's potential to achieve its leading aim of changing cultural attitudes and behaviours. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the Queensland case specifically, as well as the broader Australian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) on average affects one in four women, with the majority of victim survivors identifying as mothers in national survey data. Children experiencing parental IPV are now equally understood as victims. Extensive research documents the short- and long-term impacts of children's experiences of IPV on their safety and wellbeing. More recently, research has started to examine adolescent children's use of violence in the home as adolescent family violence (AFV). Contributing to this emerging body of research, we draw on narrative interview data from mothers who participated in a larger study on IPV, helpseeking and the perceived impact on children to better understand how mothers make sense of children's use of violence in the home. Mothers identified an emergence of AFV in male children with childhood experiences of adult IPV. Although mothers' experiences of adult and adolescent violence highlight their dual victimisation, mothers frame their abusive children as victims rather than perpetrators. Implications for future research, policy and trauma-informed practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]