Family violence help

If you or someone you know is feeling unsafe or experiencing abuse at home there is help and support available.  Council's Family Violence Resources page has information about the issue, how to keep safe or access support.

Call Triple Zero (000)

for emergency assistance by Victoria Police when someone has been, or is about to be, injured, property damaged or other criminal acts that need immediate response.

The new "Family Violence - There is No Excuse" campaign by Victoria Police encourages everyone to seek help.

The Family Violence - There is No Excuse Facebook post  and videos are in English and 12 other community languages: Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, Farsi, Greek, Italian, Punjabi, Macedonian, Turkish, Vietnamese. 
Videos available in an additional 14 languages: Hindi, Pashto, Khmer, Korean, Japanese, Serbian, Sinhalese, Spanish, Tamil, Thai, Malay, Somali, Russian and Polish.  

Quick Reference Guide 14 July of Family Violence Services during COVID-19

This guide has been published by Northern Integrated Family Violence Services (NIFVS) for the Northern Metropolitan Region. 

Services for Women/ Female-identifying

Berry Street Northern Family and Domestic Violence Service
Phone: 9450 4700 (9 am - 5 pm, weekdays except public holidays)
Family violence support for women in the northern region. Services include risk assessment and safety planning, court support, case management, counselling, group work and secondary consultation to workers.

Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre

Phone: 1800 015 188 (24 hours, every day)
Chat online between 9am and 9pm, Monday to Friday
Email safesteps@safesteps.org.au
Family violence support for women in Victoria. Services include safety planning, short and longer-term safe house accommodation and outreach services. 
NEW - Specialist Disability Family Violence Program extended
for woman and children with disabilities who are experiencing family violence: Call safe steps 24/7 on 1800 015 188 

Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASA)

Phone: 9635 3610 (business hours) or 1800 806 292 (after hours)
Victorian crisis response for victims/survivors of sexual assault, including counselling/advocacy support. 

Djirra Aboriginal Women Support Service

Phone: 1800 105 303 (9am - 5pm, weekdays except public holidays)
Djirra provides a range of services across Victoria and has offices in metropolitan and regional areas, including legal and non-legal support to Aboriginal people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence.

InTouch (Multicultural Centre against Family Violence)

Phone: 1800 755 988 (9 am - 5 pm, weekdays except public holidays)
Statewide culturally appropriate family violence support. Services, programs and responses to issues of family violence in culturally and linguistically diverse communities, immigration support.

Services for All Genders

Victims Assistance Program
Phone: 1300 362 739 (9 am - 5 pm, weekdays except public holidays)
Email: VAPIntake@merrihealth.org.au
Phone: 1800 819 817 (Helpline 8 am - 11 pm, every day)
Text: 0427 767 891 or 
Email: vsa@justice.vic.gov.au
Help for people who have experienced violence. Also support family members of victims of crime and family members, dependents and partners of people who have died as a result of an act of violence. 

Services for Men/ Male-identifying

Mens Line Australia

Phone: 1300 78 99 78 or Online  (24 hours, every day)
National telephone and online counselling support, information and referral service for men with mental health, family and relationship concerns. 

Men’s Referral Service 

Phone: 1300 766 491 (weekdays 8 am - 9 pm, weekends 9 am - 5 pm)
National men’s family violence telephone counselling, information and referral service.

Dardi Munwurro Strong Spirit Aboriginal Men's Crisis Support

Phone: 1800 435 799 (24 hours, every day)
Dardi Munwurro delivers a range of family violence, healing and behaviour change programs and services to break the cycle of inter-generational trauma in Aboriginal families and communities by empowering and inspiring individuals to heal the past and create a positive vision for the future.

Family Violence Phone Counselling Support

1800 RESPECT

Phone: 1800 737 732 (24 hours, every day)
National telephone and online sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.

Kids Helpline 
Phone: 1800 55 1800 (24 hours, every day)

Counselling via phone, email or webchat for 5-25 year-olds. 

Seniors Rights Victoria

Phone 1300 368 821 weekdays 10 am - 5pm
Information, advice and support to help prevent elder abuse and safeguard the rights and independence of older people. 

With Respect

Phone: 1800 LGBTIQ (1800 542 847), daily
Family violence and intimate partner violence service supporting LGBTIQ+ communities and their families and offers a service model which can respond to both the person immpacted by violence and the person using violence.

Other Family Violence Support Services

Hume Merri-bek Integrated Family Violence Program 

Phone: 03 9302 6100 (business hours)
The Hume Merri-bek IFVP supports women and children in the municipalities of Hume and Merri-bek, including provision of case management, risk assessment and safety planning, financial counselling, Men's Behaviour Change program, Safe Dads fathering program and referrals to other services.
Women may refer themselves or be referred through community service organisations, schools, councils, police or the courts.

Northern Community Legal Centre

Phone: 9310 4376 (9 am - 5 pm, weekdays)
Free and confidential legal advice and assistance to people who live, work, or study in Merri-bek, Hume or Mitchell Shire municipalitiess.
​Current priority groups assisted include:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
• Experiencing mental ill health, disability, or cognitive impairment
• Homeless
• LGBTIQ+
• Refugees and newly arrived
• Victims / survivors of family violence
• Young people under 25.