This project used the enormous diversity and breadth of rural women’s networks and contacts across rural and remote Australia to help to prevent family violence. This prevention model is built on developing the community’s understanding of what family violence is and encouraging commitment to its abolition

A strong focus is on increase the skills of rural young people in how to identify and develop healthy relationships.  

The initial phase of the project involved the training of a core group of representatives from a number of rural and women’s organisations so they can communicate effectively with other women on this issue.

In the next phase of the project, these women consolidated and spread their training by running small training or information sessions in their own communities or organisations. This core group also used their knowledge of their own organisations and experience in rural Australia to develop a strategy to effectively spread information and resources through-out rural and remote areas. 

Two key resources were identified by the NRWC to support this: 

A 24 page interactive booklet titled Relationships developed by the Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre in Melbourne. This booklet has been very well received by young people and adults. It will be reprinted and altered to identify it as rural and national.

The pamphlet What to do when she tells you produced by the PADV unit. This publication assists women in considering how to respond helpfully to a disclosure of family violence

The women used their existing contacts and relationships to spread the information and resources into their communities. The women determined how the information would be best placed in their communities, and used schools, doctors' waiting rooms, youth groups and neighbourhood houses.

The project was undertaken using participatory action research principles, and the qualitative and quantitative data which provided useful processes and content data including:

• A documented community awareness model that others may wish to use
• A rich database of stories and strategies to inform future decisions about resource provision and community education strategies, not confined to the issue of domestic violence.

This Project was funded under the Australian Government's Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assualt Initiative through the Office for Women.

Please click here to download the Relationships Booklet