Services show support for Ochre Ribbon Week

Mid North Coast Local Health District Aboriginal Health Worker Jade Chelman said the campaign was all about raising awareness about family violence in Aboriginal communities.

"That doesn't mean that violence only happens in Aboriginal communities," she said.

"It happens to everyone, everywhere.

"...its more about bringing awareness around the violence that is happening in Aboriginal communicates and being able to come together to connect and support one another and raise awareness in hopes to stop violence."

The MNCLHD have run two morning tea events for the campaign, with one event held at the Kempsey District Hospital on Wednesday, February 14.

Attendees were welcome at the Wutu Room with food and ochre ribbons available.

"That's something they can wear during the week in hopes that it prompts questions," Ms Chelman said.

Other services have also voiced their support of the Aboriginal-led campaign including Kempsey Families Incorporated.

Kempsey Families Incorporated executive officer June Wilson said that there was an over representation of Aboriginal women in domestic violence statistics.

"It's not necessarily from Aboriginal partners or men," she said

"It's just that Aboriginal women are over represented in the statistics and impacted particularly with physical injuries."

A 2019 report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that Indigenous adults were 32 times more likely to be hospitalised for family violence as non-Indigenous Australians.

Ms Wilson noted the importance of speaking about domestic violence and responding to it.

"The fact we've had almost 600 high risk perpetrators [arrested] in the last week shows that the police are taking it very seriously," she said.

"And that sends a very clear message I believe to all communities, particularly the Aboriginal community that the police are doing what they're supposed to do which means it safe for you to speak up."

But the Kempsey Families Incorporated executive officer said we still has a ways to go.

"There are a number of things that can be encouraging but you've got to look at the historical mistrust of government agencies who use a very punitive approach particular towards Aboriginal women and their children," she said.

"When an [Aboriginal] woman does reach out for support...it's really important that they are heard, they are believed and they are supported because that first step takes an incredible amount of courage."

Kempsey Families Incorporated have helped support a variety of campaigns and run a number of programs to support children and families who are at risk, vulnerable or disadvantaged.

The organisation also sits on a local domestic violence monitoring committee with government and non-government agencies.

Ms Wilson said that it was fundamental that more information was out and available to the community.

"Up to 40 per cent of our clients with our Staying Home Leaving Violence program identify as Aboriginal," she said.

"Which means that word of mouth is working and they know we have a safe and confidential service here that can support them."

In her role at MNCLHD, Ms Chelman works in the Domestic Violence Prevention and Education Program and regularly visits schools to talk about healthy relationships.

She also runs an Aboriginal Women's Group with an Aboriginal Liaison Officer at Bunyah Land Council in Wauchope.

"We meet with the women and they lead that group," she said.

"We're able to connect and yarn and talk about different things.

"We have different services come in so that also widens their support network for different circumstances."

She emphasised the importance of this year's theme of "don't silence the violence"

"I think the more we talk about it openly, the more we can have these conversations about what's going on, its takes that taboo away from it," Ms Chelman said.

"The more we can speak about it openly, more people might feel inclined to come forward because they feel understood, they don't feel alone and it also brings light to the perpetrator.

"It's a choice to be violence and it's a choice to perpetrate that particular type of violence and it's mostly done in secret so the best way to combat it is to not let it be secret."