YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Your safety is our priority​​​​​​​

Need urgent help?

CNV can be contacted on:
1800 884 292

The 24-hour statewide safe steps family violence crisis response line is:
1800 015 188

In an emergency call: 
000

What you may be experiencing

It is normal for partners and families to have disagreements.

In relationships where people are equal, they can state how they feel in a safe environment.

In abusive relationships, one person tries to control another - whether it is a partner, former partner, sibling, parent, child or other.

It may be physical violence, verbal abuse, restricting their freedom and movement, making demands or threats, or sexual abuse.

For example, someone may:

  • Restrict or monitor your movements, and shut you off from friends, family and other support networks. 
  • Insist on being present during conversations with others, or insult you and make you feel guilty for ‘choosing’ to spend time speaking with them, rather than him. 
  • Monitor your communications devices and social media accounts. Or, repeatedly check in on you and what you're doing. 
  • Limit your movements in your own home, restricting you to only some parts of the house. 
  • Set routines you must strictly adhere to. 
  • Control what you read, or relocate you away from everyone you know. 
  • Control your finances.
  • Withhold food or medicine.
  • Tell you they have nowhere else to stay.
  • Deny you access to healthcare.
  • Be critical of your parenting, and create a feeling where you are ‘walking on eggshells’.
  • Breach intervention orders, and find excuses for doing so.
  • Ignore parenting orders, or increase demands for custody of the children.
  • Use misinformation to control you or increase fear, or limit access to available supports.
  • Increase threats of suicide/self harm, and/or expressions of hopelessness.

  • Threaten you or your children.

But there are things you can do – which we can talk to you about.

( * Scroll below for frequently asked questions )

When you contact us

We will work with you to understand your needs. You can choose to remain anonymous, or share your name with us.

One of our support workers will talk to you over the phone about why you are calling. They will also want to ensure you are safe, and understand the level of risk you may be experiencing.

The support worker may talk about a safety plan with you, or discuss some of our services and what other options might be available depending on your circumstances and wishes. 

You will always have options.

Those options may include:

  • Placing you in crisis accommodation.
  • Placing your partner/former partner in accommodation so you (and if necessary, your children) can remain in your own home.
  • Supporting you to remain in your own home, with modifications such as security doors.
  • Offering non-legal advice about intervention orders and connecting you with legal services.
  • Offering non-legal advice about court processes.
  • Assessing your ongoing financial risk, and providing support or linking you with financial planners.
  • Assessing your immediate financial needs and providing financial support.
  • Providing you with basic living necessities.
  • Linking you with other services.
  • Assessing your technology safety.

Can I leave my house during COVID-19 restrictions if I am unsafe? 

Yes. The Victorian government says people can leave their homes if there is family violence, or violence by another person in the home, and you are at risk. You can find out the latest information on COVID-19 at the Department of Health and Human Services website, here.