Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way – Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families Dhelk Dja is the key Aboriginal-led Victorian Agreement that commits the signatories – Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal services and government – to work together and be accountable for ensuring that Aboriginal people, families and communities are stronger, safer, thriving and living free from family violence. It articulates the long-term partnership and directions required at a statewide, regional and local level to ensure that Aboriginal people, families and communities are violence free, and built upon the foundation of Aboriginal self-determination. Dhelk Dja are the Dja Dja Wurrung Artwork and Artist words for ‘good place’ pronounced Trina Dalton-Oogjes is a proud ‘delk ja’. Wadawurrung/Wathaurung woman. The Dja Dja Wurrung People are the Traditional Trina’s painting centres around Owners of the lands of the central the eleven community Dhelk Dja Victoria region from Mount Franklin, the towns of Action Groups across Victoria, Creswick and Daylesford to Castlemaine, Maldon leading into a central gathering/ and Bendigo and to Boort in the north, Donald in the yarning circle, empowering northwest. Sincere thanks to the Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal communities based on a healing and Elders and community for allowing the use of their trauma informed process, to lead collaborative language in the naming of this Aboriginal 10 Year partnerships through a culturally safe service Family Violence Agreement. system. Aboriginal members of the Dhelk Dja Partnership Around the eleven community Dhelk Dja Action Forum state that “Safe Our Way means the Victorian Groups are Aboriginal organisations/agencies, Aboriginal community will drive and deliver Dhelk government departments and non-government Dja ‘our way’ with Aboriginal self-determination, agencies working together to address family our cultures, our approaches, our responsibility, our violence. communities, our families.” Bunjil the Creator oversees to empower strength and self-determination. Hand prints of the adults and children represent the family unit. The kangaroo and emu footprints represent partnership moving forward (kangaroos and emus only move forward). 1 To receive this publication in an accessible format, phone Family Safety Victoria (03) 9194 3100 using the National Relay Service 13 36 77 if required. Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne. © State of Victoria, Department of Health and Human Services, October 2018. Where the term ‘Aboriginal’ is used it refers to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Indigenous is retained when it is part of a title, program or quotation. Where the term LGBTIQA+ is used it refers to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or gender diverse, queer, intersex, asexual or other diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. A detailed glossary of terms is included in the Appendix. Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way - Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families ISBN 978-1-76069-507-1 (Print) ISBN 978-1-76069-508-8 (pdf/online/MS word) Available at <www.vic.gov.au/familyviolence> Printed by Metro Printing, Airport West 2 Acknowledgement of Aboriginal people and communities in Victoria Aboriginal people are acknowledged as Australia’s First Nations Peoples and the custodians of the land and waterways upon which we depend. We acknowledge Victoria’s Aboriginal communities and culture and pay respect to their Elders past and present. Aboriginal culture is founded on a strong social, To ensure that Aboriginal people, children, families cultural and spiritual order that has sustained more and communities thrive, the Victorian Government than 60,000 years of existence. Victorian Aboriginal is committed to an enduring community-led communities and peoples are culturally diverse, with response to end family violence against Aboriginal rich and varied heritages and histories. Aboriginal people, underpinned by self-determination. cultural heritage and the ongoing contribution of Self-determination requires government to value and Aboriginal people and communities to culture and respect Aboriginal knowledge, systems and expertise society is acknowledged as a source of strength and and to transfer authority, decision making control pride to enrich the whole Victorian community. and resources to Aboriginal people. This requires a significant cultural shift and a The long standing leadership of Aboriginal new way of working together. The Government communities and Elders in Victoria is recognised acknowledges that this is the key to better outcomes in preventing and responding to family violence for Aboriginal people and stronger, safer families and improving outcomes for Aboriginal people, and communities. Aboriginal self-determination is children and families, whilst also acknowledging the the foundation of Dhelk Dja - Safe Our Way: Strong devastating impacts and accumulation of trauma Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families (‘Dhelk Dja’). across generations as a result of colonisation, genocide and the violent dispossession of land and children. The invaluable contributions of all those who have paved the way and fought for the rights of Aboriginal people, including the right to self-determination and the right to live free from violence, are acknowledged. 3 Other acknowledgements Family Violence Taskforce and its Final Report (2003);1 the Victorian Government Response to the Acknowledgement and thanks go to all members Victorian Indigenous Family Violence Taskforce of the Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum (formerly Final Report (2004);2 the Victorian Indigenous Indigenous Family Violence Partnership Forum) Family Violence Strategy (developed in 2002); the for their time and leadership in creating Dhelk Dja. eleven Dhelk Dja Action Groups and the Mid-term Special thanks go to the Aboriginal members of evaluation of the Indigenous Family Violence 10 Year the Partnership Forum, including Dhelk Dja Action Plan (2015).3 Groups (formerly Indigenous Family Violence Thanks also to all the Aboriginal people who Regional Action Groups) Dhelk Dja Action Group contributed their ideas, stories and vision for the Chairpersons, Aboriginal service representatives and future at Community Conversations, Aboriginal Aboriginal government representatives for their time, Partnership Forum Working Group meetings, commitment and ongoing dedication in preventing Aboriginal Family Violence Co-design Forums, and responding to family violence. Indigenous Family Violence Regional Action Group Dhelk Dja builds upon the work and strong meetings and through the Aboriginal holistic healing foundations created by Aboriginal people through co-design process. Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families: The strength and richness of Aboriginal voices and Towards a safer future for Indigenous families and experiences has shaped the directions and priorities communities 10 Year Plan (2008-2018). It also builds of Dhelk Dja. on the work of the former Victorian Indigenous 1. Department of Victorian Communities, 2003, Victorian Indigenous Family Violence Task Force: Final Report, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne. 2. State Government of Victoria, 2004, Victorian Government Response to the Victorian Indigenous Family Violence Task Force Final Report, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne. 3. Department of Premier and Cabinet, 2015, Mid-term Evaluation of the Indigenous Family Violence 10 Year Plan, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne. 4 Contents Vision 6 Strategic Priorities 33 Priority One: Aboriginal culture and leadership 34 Purpose 7 Priority Two: Aboriginal-led prevention 36 Definition of family violence 7 Priority Three: Self-determining Aboriginal family violence support and services 38 Signatories to Dhelk Dja 8 Priority Four: System transformation Statement from Dhelk Dja based on self-determination principles 40 Partnership Forum 11 Priority Five: Aboriginal-led and informed innovation, data and research 42 Statement from the Special Minister of State 12 Going forward 44 Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way - Strong Culture, Appendix 1 45 Strong Peoples, Strong Families 13 Victoria’s family violence reform context 45 Victorian Aboriginal strategies and frameworks 47 Governance and accountability 14 Broader Victorian service reforms 50 Action Plans and Regional Action Plans 15 Appendix 2 50 Dhelk Dja Action Groups 16 Glossary of Terms 50 Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability Plan 17 Aboriginal Leadership - Strong Foundations 18 Self-Determination – the foundation of Dhelk Dja 20 Self-determination definition within a family violence context 20 The Victorian Government’s commitment to self-determination 21 Victorian Government leadership 22 Vision 24 Inclusive approach 24 Guiding Principles 25 Self-determination (Community-led, self-management and leadership) 26 Collaboration and partnerships 27 Strengths-based 28 Cultural and trauma informed resilience and healing approaches 29 Safety (Physical, community and cultural safety) 30 Accountability, transparency and honesty of all parties 32 5 Vision Aboriginal people are culturally strong, safe and self-determining, with families and communities living free from violence. Dhelk Dja is the key Aboriginal-led Victorian Agreement that commits the signatories – Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal services and government – to work together and be accountable for ensuring that Aboriginal women, men, children, young people, Elders, families