Domestic and family violence (DFV) can affect anyone in our community.

The ABS Personal Safety Survey revealed that nearly one in three women in Australia experienced some form of physical violence since the age of 15, and every week, more than one woman was murdered by her current or former partner. These astonishing statistics reflected the severity and tragic impact of DFV on fragile women in our community.

The Federal Government is aware of the importance in changing the community attitude to DFV, especially among some groups in the multicultural community who traditionally considered the matter to be private. As part of the budget for women’s safety, the Government has allocated an additional $26.8M for service providers of the Settlement Engagement and Transition Support programme to enhance their support provided to migrant and refugee women. CASS is the only organization in the Chinese community funded to increase its service capacity to provide more support and assistance to women suffering from DFV.

Owing to social, cultural and traditional circumstances, migrant women are known to be at higher risk of experiencing gender-based violence, including controlling behaviours, sexual violence, migration-related abuse and threats. High dependency on their partners makes the situation worse, victims are inclined to hide the issues, hesitating to voice out or seek help. The prevailing COVID-19 situation has been used as an excuse for abuse toward women and children at home with increasing coercive behaviour.

As migrant and refugee women have the right to live without fear of violence, the urgent needs among those most affected in the Chinese community must be addressed. With the additional Government funding and support, CASS Settlement Services will arrange additional bilingual workers to provide casework through individual and group sessions to DFV victims.

CASS Settlement Services has been serving the Chinese community in Sydney for over 27 years, assisting newly arrived Chinese-speaking migrants with settlement issues including housing, employment, education as well as health & welfare issues through free face-to-face casework, referral services, information sessions and expos. The service is supported financially by the Federal Government. 

For enquiry, please contact CASS on (02) 9787 8333 between Monday and Friday (10am – 4pm) if there is any settlement matter you, your families, or your friends encountered.