Domestic and family violence

Getting help to leave

If you need to leave a situation involving domestic violence, it is important that you are prepared and know where to get support.

You can get help with:

• safety planning
• safety apps
• Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders
• family and domestic violence leave
• financial support
• accommodation and housing
• caring for your pets
• online safety.

For more information, see Getting help to leave.

Online safety

Online abuse is a type of domestic violence that involves using technology to harass, monitor, stalk, impersonate or threaten a person. It is abuse that can occur both during and after a relationship. It can include:

• sending abusive or threatening text messages or phone calls
• making fake social media accounts and harmful posts about a person
• accessing someone’s online accounts without their permission
• sharing or threatening to share intimate images of a person without your consent
• tracking a person through their phone or other digital devices.

If you are experiencing domestic violence or online abuse, there are steps you can take to ensure your safety online so that you can remain in contact with family and friends.

For more information, see Online safety.

Making a police report

Domestic or family violence is a crime. If you have experienced, or witnessed domestic or family violence, you can report this to the police. If you are in any immediate danger, call the police on triple zero (000). If you are not in immediate danger, but you are afraid or have safety concerns, you should speak to a police officer at your local police station or a Domestic Violence Liaison Officer.

Anyone can report domestic or family violence, even if they are not a victim or a witness to it.

There is no time limit on making a report. You can make a report even if it happened a long time ago.

Going to court

If you have experienced or witnessed a domestic violence offence for which the offender has been charged, you may be asked to attend court to give evidence.

If you are called to give evidence, you will be known as a witness. You are not a party to the case, and as such, you don’t need to have your own lawyer.

If the police need you to attend court to give evidence, they may subpoena you.

For more information, see Going to court (Domestic violence victims).

Your visa

If you are in Australia on a temporary visa, and you are a victim of domestic or family violence, you may be concerned about the effect that leaving your partner and getting an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) will have on you. If you are waiting for a decision to be made about an application for permanent residency, you might be worried that if you leave your partner your application will be rejected, and you will be forced to return to your home country.

In certain situations, if you are a victim of domestic or family violence, you may be able to end your relationship with your partner and still be granted a permanent visa.

For more information, see Visas and immigration.

Domestic violence support services

There are a range of support services available for victims of domestic violence in NSW, including for:

• women and children
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children
• LGBTQ+ people
• older persons
• people with disability
• men.

For more information, see Domestic violence support services.