On this page, we talk about
Violence and abuse is when someone:
- hurts you
- scares you
- controls you.
We focus on violence and abuse because of your religion or
Your culture is:
- your way of life
- how you think or act now because of how you grew up
- your beliefs
- what is important to you.
There is support available if the information on this page upsets you.
You can find out more on our page about support.
What violence and abuse because of your religion or culture is
Violence and abuse because of your religion or culture is when someone uses their own religion or culture to:
- make you feel ashamed
- control you.
It also includes when someone forces you to take part in their religion or culture.
For example, they might:
- tell you not to wear certain clothes
- force you to pray
- say that you cannot pray.
This is a crime in Australia.
Everyone has the to have their own religion.
Rights are rules about how people must treat you:
- fairly
- equally.
It is never okay for someone to make you take part in their religion or culture.
It is also never okay for someone to tease you because of your religion or culture.
Examples of violence or abuse because of your religion or culture
We wrote some examples of violence or abuse because of your religion or culture to help you understand what it is.
You can skip this section if it upsets you.
Someone might try to force you to stop doing things that are part of your religion.
For example, if you are Muslim, they might tell you not to:
- wear a hijab
- go to a mosque
Or they might tell you not to teach your children about your religion or culture.
Violence and abuse because of your religion or culture can also include when someone forces you to:
- eat certain foods that are against your religion or culture
- only speak a certain language.
It can be hard if you rely on the person who is using this type of violence or abuse.
It can also be hard if you live with people who do not have the same religion or culture as you.
This includes if you live in a home that people from another religion or culture run.
Who can experience violence or abuse because of their religion or culture
Anyone can experience violence or abuse because of their religion or culture.
People can experience this type of violence or abuse from anyone.
For example, from:
- a partner, like a boyfriend or girlfriend
- a family member or carer.
People can also experience this type of violence or abuse anywhere.
For example:
- at home
- in a hospital
-
in an
An aged care home is where older people live when they cannot live in their home anymore.
What you can do
If you live in aged care home, you should learn about their
A policy is:
- a plan for how to do things
- where rules come from.
Their policies might tell you about how they must protect your rights.
There are steps you can take if you have experienced violence or abuse because of your religion or culture.
We have information and resources on this website to help you get the support you need.
You can find out more on our page about support.
You should take care of yourself.
You can find out more on our page about getting the most out of life.
Example story
We wrote a story to show an example of violence and abuse because of your religion and culture.
The story we wrote is about a person called Harper.
The story and the people in it are not real.
We made them up to explain violence and abuse because of your religion and culture.
Harper’s story
Harper lives with her parents.
Harper’s parents are also her carers.
Harper’s parents go to church every Sunday.
And they make Harper come with them even though she does not want to.
Harper is experiencing violence and abuse because of her religion and culture.
It is never your fault if you have experienced the bad behaviour we talk about on this page.
We are sorry that this has happened to you.
The first thing you should do is make sure you are safe.
If you or someone you know is in danger, call Triple Zero.
000
We have a section on this website about how to call Triple Zero.
You can find out more on our page about a guide to call Triple Zero.
You can contact 1800RESPECT for support.
You can call them.
1800 737 732
You can talk to someone online.
You can send them a text message.
0458 737 732
If you send them a text message, you can just send the word ‘HELLO’.
You can leave your partner if this is where you are experiencing the bad behaviour.
For example, your boyfriend or girlfriend.
You can find out more on our page about how to be safe when you leave a relationship.
If you are not ready to leave your partner, you can still make a plan about how to be safe.
You can find out more on our page about when you are not ready to leave a relationship.
You can get support from your friends and family.
It is a good idea to tell them:
- what they can do to help you
- to focus on what you need to feel safe.
You can keep proof of the person’s bad behaviour if it safe for you to do so.
You can give this proof to the police if you decide to contact them.
You can start to manage your own money so you can leave if or when you want to.
You can find out more on our page about managing your own money.
You can share what is happening to a government organisation.
For example, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).
AHRC is an organisation that makes sure people treat others:
- fairly
- equally.
You can call a helpline.
Helplines are phone numbers that will connect you to people who:
- care about what you are going through
- can give you good advice.
We have a list of helplines on our website.
You can find out more on our page about helplines.
You can work with someone to explore how you think and feel.
This can help you:
- reach goals
- feel safe
- learn skills
- understand what happened to you.
You can find out more on our page about counselling.
You can learn more about the rules about how people must treat you:
- fairly
- equally.
You can find out more on our page about your rights.
You can think about what you can do to care for yourself.
You can find out more on our page about caring for yourself.
You might have experienced the bad behaviour from someone who did a service for you.
For example, from:
- a health professional
- someone who cleaned your house.
You can talk to the person who organises your services if this has happened to you.
