Family and Domestic Violence

Family violence means violent, threatening or other behaviour by a person that coerces or controls a member of the person’s family (the family member), or causes the family member to be fearful; and

Domestic violence behaviour includes when another person you’re in a relationship with:

is physically or sexually abusive to you
is emotionally or psychologically abusive to you
is economically abusive to you
is threatening to you
is coercive, or
controls or dominates you and causes you to fear for your safety or wellbeing or that of someone else.

You don’t have to have been physically injured to have experienced domestic violence.

A child is exposed to family violence if the child sees or hears family violence or otherwise experiences the effects of family violence

Reference: Family Court of Australia – What is Domestic Violence

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is when one person behaves in a way that controls or dominates another person and causes fear for their safety and wellbeing.

Domestic violence is usually a pattern of abusive and controlling behaviour taking many forms. It happens in intimate, family or informal care relationships.

Regardless of age, culture, sexuality or gender identity, you have the right to live without fear.

Reference: Qld Courts – What is Domestic Violence

Queensland Police Service Information

Topics include:

What is domestic violence?
What police will do when you make a domestic violence report?
How will police protect a victim of domestic violence?
What happens when police apply for a Domestic Violence Order?
Other help available
Know the signs of domestic violence

For this information and more go to Qld Police Service Information

Other Domestic Violence Information

Legal Aid – Personal Safety

Legal Aid – Stalking

Legal Aid – Threats, Abuse, Harassment

Legal Aid – Information for Women

Qld Law Society – Domestic Violence in Queensland

Family Court of Australia – Indigenous Families and the Courts

Legal Aid – Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women

Family Court – Family Violence

Family Court – Where to get help

Qld Courts – Domestic Violence

Help for Family and Domestic Violence

DV Connect

1800 811 811. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

See also more contacts on our page What Help is Available

Legal Aid Qld – Family Advocacy and Support Service

The service involves lawyers and social support workers helping people impacted by family violence who have a current family law issue.

Family Advocacy and Support Services operate Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm in Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns. You may be referred by Legal Aid Queensland to this service for help if appropriate.

The service can help unrepresented people on their court date (similar to the family law duty lawyer service) and people with very urgent family law issues (even without a matter in court).

A lawyer may be able to give people information and legal advice, help prepare simple court documents (in limited situations), represent them in court (in limited situations) and help complete legal aid applications.
A support worker may be able to help people prepare a safety plan, connect them with other services that may be able to help them and help complete legal aid applications.

If you need help on the day you are going to court, then speak to the family law duty lawyer or intake officer at the court.

If you have a very urgent family law issue, and you are not in court, then speak to an information officer at your local Legal Aid Queensland office or call 1300 65 11 88.

Reference: Legal Aid – Domestic and Family Violence

Orders and Processes

For information on Domestic Violence orders and processes see our page Orders and Processes

Family and Domestic Violence – Overview