When it comes to violence against women, only 44 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people believe the issue in their communities is taken seriously by police.
And only 36 per cent believe violence against women in their communities is taken seriously by the government.
This finding comes from the latest National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey (NCAS) by ANROWS, which underscores an urgent need for systems-level change to address systemic racism and improve the safety and support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in Australia.
A snapshot of Australian attitudes toward violence against women, the NCAS is a periodic survey conducted every four years.
This year, 442 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents respondents participated in the survey. The breakdown saw 92 per cent identify as Aboriginal, 5 per cent as Torres Strait Islander, and 4 per cent as both.
Other key findings show more than one in four Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents did not expect confidential or fair treatment by police, courts, or services. Trust levels are particularly low among LGBTQ+ respondents compared to heterosexual respondents. Meanwhile, there is higher trust in services than in police and courts.
And 70 per cent of respondents indicate a belief that domestic violence is equally perpetrated by men and women, underscoring the need for greater awareness of gendered violence.
Dr Tessa Boyd-Caine, ANROWS CEO said, “Ending violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women requires addressing the ongoing impacts of colonisation and systemic racism.”
“This report shows the critical role for addressing the attitudes that shape those ongoing impacts. Urgent changes are necessary within policing, judicial systems, and social services to foster environments where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can access support and justice without fear of being further impacted through culturally unsafe practices or worse.”
In response to the survey findings, ANROWS is calling for systems-level reform to dismantle systemic racism and ensure culturally safe, trustworthy support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.