Help Seeking
Domestic Violence: Lifeline's new tool kit and fact sheet for domestic and family violence
Domestic violence can occur in many forms and can affect people regardless of age, gender, socio-economic situation or cultural background.
'Anyone can experience domestic violence'
Domestic violence can be defined as abuse by one person towards their partner, girlfriend/boyfriend or spouse and can include both physical and non physical forms of abuse such as:
- Emotional abuse
- Financial abuse
- Verbal abuse
- Social abuse (controlling who you see and what you do)
- Physical harm
- Sexual abuse
If someone is hurting you it is important to remember that no one has the right to be abusive towards you. Domestic violence is a crime and the abusive person is breaking the law.
There are a number of steps that can be taken to ensure your safety.
- Find supportive friends – reach out to someone you feel safe talking to about your situation. Break the cycle of isolation that often occurs in abusive relationships.
- Let go of feeling responsible – abuse is a choice made by the offender and is not caused by something you have done.
- Know your rights – Seek legal advice and support from local services.
- Contact a support group – connect with others who have experienced similar situations and can help provide support and hope.
- Look after yourself – Find a safe place to have positive ‘time out’. Find a supportive GP or call a helpline like Lifeline.
- Contact the police – If you are in danger call the police on 000 for immediate help.
If you suspect a friend or family member is the victim of domestic abuse the most important way to help is to listen and believe them. Offer practical advice such as offering to look after children, providing transport or going with them to see a counsellor or GP.
Lifeline has also recently produced a range of self-help resources that provide practical information about domestic and family violence. Download a copy of our Domestic Violence Tool kit and Family Violence Fact Sheet.
Lifeline is also available 24 hours a day on 13 11 14 to provide crisis support.
crisis support
Providing hope and help… a letter of thanks from a Lifeline caller
Recently Lifeline was acknowledged in a letter of thanks from a caller to 13 11 14 who was helped through a personal crisis by a Lifeline volunteer. With permission from the anonymous individual, we are sharing this letter with you, in the hopes that it will encourage others to seek help in their time of crisis.
Everyday Lifeline receives over 1200 calls from Australians in need of help and support. This care is provided by over 11,000 trained and dedicated telephone volunteers who selflessly give their time to support those in need. While everyone’s circumstances and story is different, Lifeline strongly believes that seeking help is the first step to improving even the most difficult situations. No problem needs to be faced alone.
“The Lifeline conversation was just that, a life line… it gave me a direct line back to living my life again.”
Receiving acknowledgment by members of the community helped by Lifeline’s 13 11 14 crisis support service is a significant reminder of the importance of our role in making a difference to the lives of many Australians every single day.
If you would like to support the life saving work of our telephone volunteers please consider making a donation to our 13 11 14 service or find out more about volunteering opportunities with Lifeline.
Suicide Prevention
Lifeline attends Blank Page Summit in the Kimberlies
Lifeline’s Chris Wagner recently attended the ‘Blank Page Summit – Hard Yarn’ in the Billard Community in the Kimberlies, WA. Attended by 146 delegates from around the country, the majority Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the Summit focussed on the hard yarn that needs to be had across Australia, to begin closing the gap for Indigenous Australians.
The Summit was held on the land of the Victor family and Chris was honoured to be invited to be part of this special event and represent Lifeline.
Out of the summit, three main hard yarns were identified:
- How Indigenous people can get the leaders they need
- How we can begin to deal with drug and alcohol issues and;
- How all Australians can close the “attitude gap.”
Participants were tasked to take these issues back to their communities and workplaces and begin to affect change from within.
“The event was certainly one of the most inspiring Summits I have ever been to,” Chris Wagner said.
(Pictured is the Billard Community’s Mary O’Reeri with Lifeline’s Chris Wagner)
Lifeline acknowledges the need for improving support services for Indigenous Australians, who as a population are up to 40%* more likely to die by suicide than the general population.
Indigenous Australians may also experience a heightened risk of additional mental health concerns such as; violence; substance abuse; transgenerational grief and loss; over-crowding in homes; financial stresses; and discrimination. By having a representative attend the Blank Page Summit Lifeline was able to learn more about issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and to be involved in discussion about options for the future.
Lifeline is currently seeking funding support to implement national Indigenous outreach activities, and is calling on Corporate Australia to get behind this cause. If you’re interested in discussing corporate funding opportunities please contact us.
*Living is for Everyone, 2008
Fundraising
All Stressed Down
Over 1200 schools and workplaces from across Australia Stressed Down on the 23rd July in support of Lifeline’s national fundraising event – Stress Down Day.
Registrations were received from every corner of Australia, from the Top End to Tasmania, and from a diverse range of industries, ranging from a mechanical repair store in South Australia to many branches of the National Australia Bank.
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and Lifeline would like to extend a huge thank you to all of those who participated on the day. Many participants have provided us with photographs from the day, so check out how others stressed down.
This year we staged a public launch in Martin Place, Sydney which proved to be a huge success. This event would not have been possible without the support from NutrientWater who provided de-stress drinks, Bakers Delight who gave the public delicious muffins and Zumba Fitness who led the crowd in a Latin inspired dance routine. A big thanks also to New Breed Security and JSB Productions for their very generous support on the day.
We received some great coverage on the Sunrise program, with Mel and Koshie wearing the Stress Down Day funky slippers and interviewing Lifeline’s Ambassador Joe Roff about ways in which he de-stresses.
(Pictured Beechworth Bakery support Lifeline's Stress Down Day)
To view footage of this launch event check out our YouTube Channel.
Lifeline would also like to acknowledge our Ambassadors for their continuing support of Lifeline and to extend our thanks to:
- Steve Bastoni
- Shelley Craft
- Joe Roff
- Kate DeAraugo
- Georgie Parker
- Michael Cumes (Lifeline’s ‘Lenny’, a telephone crisis support volunteer)
Donations are still rolling in and will go directly to sustaining Lifeline’s 13 11 14 telephone crisis support service. Funds raised will also be used to train more crisis support telephone volunteers, so Lifeline can continue to answer more calls from Australians in need of care.
Thank you again for supporting Stress Down Day in 2010.
Fundraising
Where there’s a Will, there’s a way…
A lasting legacy, a life-saving gift - please remember Lifeline with a bequest in your Will.
Once you've looked after your family and friends please think about leaving a bequest to Lifeline. Your gift will help us save more lives.
We rely on donations from the public to provide our services and bequests are an important part of this income.
There are a few easy steps to follow when including a charity in your will, including who will help you draw it up, an evaluation of your assets and the type of bequest you leave. We can help you make these choices.
If you already intend to leave Lifeline a bequest, please let us know of your intentions – this will allow us to better plan our future work.
To find out more about Lifeline Bequests visit our website, call our donation line on 1800 800 768 or e-mail us.