Sunbury is targeting family violence in the Arabic speaking community after reports reveal it is where the majority of Hume’s family violence issues lie.
Sunbury Community Health has started a program, Arabic speaking Families: Safe and Strong, to work with women and children who live in the Hume and Moreland areas.
The program was established because local data found the majority of people who experienced family violence and sought support in Hume were Arabic speaking.
More than 90 per cent of family violence referrals by Hume Risk Assessment Management Panel and Kildonan’s Integrated Family Violence Program were for Arabic speaking women, in the year to March 2017.
The new program offers Arabic speaking financial counsellors, caseworkers and family violence counsellors to those experiencing family violence.
Family violence counsellor Danielle Beaini said she thought the program would be “very beneficial”.
“It does help to not have to worry about people not understanding your culture,” Ms Beaini said. “It will give them the extra push to get help.”
Clients can be referred by local agencies and self-referrals.
