Dhelk Dja – a partnership with Aboriginal communities to address family violence

Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way – Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families, is an Aboriginal-led agreement to address family violence in Aboriginal communities.

The agreement:

  • Commits Aboriginal services and government to work together and be accountable for ensuring Aboriginal people, families and communities are stronger, safer, thriving and free from family violence.
  • Ensures our community is getting the right services to respond in a culturally safe way.
  • Reflects the many voices and stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living across Victoria.

The action plans will be delivered in partnership with Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal services and all areas of the Victorian Government.

Guiding principles of the agreement

  • self determination
  • collaboration and partnerships
  • strengths-based
  • cultural and trauma informed resilience and healing approaches
  • safety
  • accountability, transparency and honesty of all parties

Download the agreement:

Dhelk Dja - Safe Our Way - Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families Agreement
PDF 8.59 MB
(opens in a new window)

Strategic priorities

  1. Aboriginal culture and leadership
  2. Aboriginal-led prevention
  3. Self-determining Aboriginal family violence support and services
  4. System transformation based on self-determination
  5. Aboriginal-led and informed innovation, data and research

Download the priorities poster:

Poster: Dhelk Dja Safe - Our Way Strong Culture Strong Peoples Strong Families
PDF 1.42 MB
(opens in a new window)

Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum

The Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum is responsible for governing for the Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way – Strong culture, strong peoples, strong families, and its Action Plans.

The agreement was written by the Dhelk Dja Partnership Forum (formerly known as the Indigenous Family Violence Partnership Forum) to build on the last 10-year plan – Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families: Towards a safer future for Indigenous families and communities (2008-2018).

Australian Aboriginal flag

Updated