Domestic and Family Violence

Ipswich City Council is an integral stakeholder in raising awareness of DFV issues creating conditions that ensure all residents experience a safe and inclusive environment, at work and at home.

Council works in partnership at all levels of government and specialist community services to collectively work towards preventing violence in the community and keep families safe.

Council is an active member of the following strategic working groups and collective action groups:

• Domestic and Family Violence Integrated System Working Group
• Local Level Alliance Network
• Community Centre Leaders Network
• Ipswich West Moreton Youth Interagency
• Ipswich Early Years Network
• Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council Local Government Engagement Program.

The Ipswich Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Strategy and Action Plan 2024–2025

The Ipswich Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Strategy and Action Plan 2024–2025 is driven by the Ipswich Integrated Service System Working Group (IISSWG) and co-designed, and supported by Ipswich City Council through consultation with leading industry experts, domestic and family violence service providers, government agencies and victim-survivors, and is driven by community priorities.

Download the Ipswich Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Strategy and Action Plan 2024–2025 (PDF, 1.7 MB).

Council is committed to providing a safe workplace for all employees and to support employees experiencing DFV.

Council currently offers the following support for employees impacted by DFV:

• Domestic and Family Violence Leave - 10 days paid leave per annum
• Flexible Work Arrangements
• Employee Assistance Program
• Other workplace supports and role adjustments
• Workplace Safety Plan.

Council currently offers awareness of domestic and family violence through a range of internal initiatives including:

• Ongoing Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA)
• Presentations to council leaders during Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month
• Promotion of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention month and events across Ipswich
• Staff awareness campaigns of the DFV supports available.

Council supports community led initiatives that raise awareness of DFV, and DFV service providers who support residents impacted by DFV through the Community Funding Program. This program seeks to achieve the community’s vision for a Safe, Inclusive, Creative and Active City, as outlined in council’s Corporate Plan, iFuture, council’s Community Development Strategy and the 2021-2031 Active Ipswich Strategy .

Not-for-profit domestic violence shelters and domestic violence support organisations are eligible and encouraged to apply for the following community funding:

• Community Projects - up to $15,000
• Community Events - up to $5,000
• Quick Response – up to $1,000
• Councillor Discretionary Funds – up to $1,000 per councillor ($9,000 maximum per application).

For more information on council’s Community Funding Program, visit the Ipswich.qld.gov.au/funding.

Ipswich City Council, alongside key organisations including Zonta, West Moreton Health and the Department of Youth Justice, has joined other Queensland councils in partnership with the Red Rose Foundation to install red benches at two locations within the Ipswich CBD.

These benches serve as permanent reminder that domestic and family violence occurs in all communities.

There are currently three Red Benches throughout Ipswich. They are located at:

• Tulmur Place, Ipswich
• Ipswich General Hospital, Ipswich
• Orion, Springfield Central

Domestic and family violence is when one person behaves in a way that controls or dominates another person and causes fear for their safety and wellbeing.

Domestic and family violence is usually a pattern of abusive and controlling behaviour taking many forms. It happens in intimate, family, or informal care relationships.

Regardless of age, culture, sexuality or gender identity, everyone has the right to live without fear.

Domestic violence includes a wide range of behaviours that control or dominate someone or causes them to fear for their personal safety or wellbeing. These behaviours may include:

• Physical or sexual abuse: punching, hitting, strangulation, or threatening to punch or hit, forcing a person to participate in sexual acts, damaging someone’s property or threatening to damage property, including hurting, or threatening to hurt pets
• Emotional or psychological abuse: stalking, repeated text messaging, making insulting comments, calling someone names, blackmailing, or extorting, preventing contact with family and/or friends, controlling someone’s appearance, putting them down, threatening to expose their sexual orientation
• Economic abuse: denying, withholding, controlling, or misusing money or property, or threatening to do so
• Threatening behaviour: saying things or acting in a way to make someone feel afraid, threatening to commit suicide or self-harm, stalking
• Coercive behaviour: forcing, intimidating or manipulating a person to do things they don’t want to do, such as sign a contract (e.g. for a loan) or a legal document giving another person power over their affairs (e.g. power of attorney). This may also include non-fatal strangulation.

Domestic violence extends to children seeing violence, such as their parent or carer being hurt, being called names, things being broken or police arriving.

For more information on the different types of domestic and family violence, signs of domestic and family violence, the impact of violence on children and young people, please visit the Queensland Government webpage.

In an emergency phone 000 for Police and Ambulance service.

• Domestic Violence Action Centre Ipswich
  • Phone: 07 3816 3000
  • dvac.org.au
• DVConnect Womensline
  • Online chat available
  • Phone: 1800 811 811
  • dvconnect.org
• DVConnect Mensline
  • Online chat available
  • 1800 600 636
  • dvconnect.org
• 1800Respect
  • Online chat
  • Tel: 1800 737 732
  • 1800respect.org.au
• Sexual Assault Helpline
  • 1800 010 120
  • dvconnect.org/sexual-assault-helpline
• Kids Help Line
  • Online chat available
  • 1800 55 1800
  • kidshelpline.com.au
• Lifeline
  • Online chat available
  • 131114
  • lifeline.org.au
• Elder Abuse Helpline
  • 1300 651 192
  • eapu.com.au/elder-abuse-helpline

For other community support services see the resources below:

• Download the Just in Case card
• Food and Hardship Support in Ipswich

Be There App

Do you want to know what to say or how to ‘be there’ for a loved one, a friend or even a stranger who is in an unhealthy, toxic, or abusive relationship?

Be There is a free app that gives you direct access to tools that empower, educate, and support you to help someone who is experiencing domestic or family violence.

Always have the tools on hand to help you recognise abuse and offer support to someone who may be experiencing or using the abuse. The app will help you do this safely and respectfully.

If you or the person you are supporting is in immediate danger, phone 000 for Police and Ambulance Service. Your safety is the priority.

Read more about the Be There App.