Get Support
We know that support looks different for everyone.
Whether you are the victim of abuse, suspect you may be in an abusive relationship, or suspect someone you know is in an abusive relationship, these inclusive services will help you take the next step – whatever that may be.
Remember: always call 000 if you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger.
You are not alone
If you are being abused, or if you are unsure about the behaviour of another person towards you, it can feel isolating, confusing and overwhelming.
Finding someone you can trust, like a friend or family member, may be difficult, but you are not alone.
The services listed below provide various supports for individuals in the LGBTIQA+SB community who may be experiencing, or at risk of, family, domestic and sexual violence.
Get Support Safely
If you are experiencing abuse, you do not have to work out exactly what to call it before reaching out. You deserve support if someone close to you is making you feel afraid, trapped, controlled, unsafe or unable to be yourself. You can contact a trusted friend, family member, chosen family member, counsellor, GP, LGBTIQA+ service or family violence service.
Safety matters. If it is safe to do so, consider using a phone or device the other person cannot access, deleting browsing history, turning off location sharing, changing passwords, or asking a trusted person to help you make contact with a service. Avoid confronting the person using violence if it could increase risk. Support services can help you think through options without forcing you to take action before you are ready.
When contacting a service, you can ask whether they are LGBTIQA+ inclusive, whether they understand identity-based abuse, and whether you can speak to someone with experience supporting LGBTIQA+ people. Research shows LGBTIQA+ people often face barriers to help-seeking, including fear of discrimination and uncertainty about whether services will be safe or appropriate, so it is reasonable to ask these questions.
Supporting a Friend or Family Member
If someone tells you they are experiencing abuse, believe them and listen without judgement. You do not need to have all the answers. A calm response like “I’m really glad you told me” or “This isn’t your fault” can make a big difference. Avoid pressuring them to leave, confronting the person using violence, or sharing their story without permission – these actions can sometimes increase risk.
For LGBTIQA+ people, it is especially important to respect privacy around sexuality, gender, relationships, HIV status, culture and family. Do not ‘out’ someone or assume what kind of support they want.
Ask them what would feel helpful and safe and respect any boundaries.
This might include helping them contact a service, saving important documents, making a safety plan, finding affirming support, or simply staying connected so they feel less alone. Research shows that barriers to help-seeking can include fear of discrimination, lack of inclusive services and difficulty recognising abuse in the first place.
Worried About Your Behaviour?
Taking Responsibility is Possible
It can be hard to admit that your behaviour may be hurting someone. But if you are worried you might be controlling, frightening, pressuring, intimidating or emotionally harming a partner, ex-partner, family member or someone close to you, that concern matters. Asking the question can be the first step toward stopping the cycle.
Family, domestic and intimate partner violence is not only physical. It can include patterns of behaviour that make someone feel afraid, controlled, isolated, pressured or responsible for your reactions. For LGBTIQA+ people, harmful behaviour can also target identity – such as using sexuality, gender, stigma, shame, privacy or access to gender-affirming care as a way to control or hurt someone.
Change starts with accountability. Stress, trauma, discrimination, jealousy, fear of abandonment, mental health, alcohol or drug use may help explain what is going on for you, but they do not make it okay to control, scare or harm another person. A safer next step is to seek professional support that understands both FDV/IPV and LGBTIQA+ relationships, and can help you take responsibility without minimising harm or blaming the person affected.
Recognising negative behaviours toward others
Stopping violence is not about becoming perfect overnight. It is about taking practical, repeated steps: stop the harmful behaviour, give the other person space, respect their boundaries, seek specialist help, be honest with professionals, and keep choosing non-violence even when you feel hurt, ashamed, rejected or afraid.
Remember: if someone has asked for space or ended the relationship, respecting that boundary is part of accountability.
| If you notice this in yourself… | Try this instead. |
| Checking their phone, messages or location… | Stop monitoring. Ask for support to manage jealousy, fear or insecurity without surveillance. |
| Using yelling, threats or intimidation… | Leave the room safely, calm your body, and return only when you can speak without fear or force. |
| Blaming others for your behaviour… | Say clearly: “My behaviour was not okay. I am responsible for changing it”. |
| Threatening to out them or expose private information… | Never disclose anyone’s sexuality, gender, HIV status, relationship status or private history without consent. |
| Misgendering, deadnaming or mocking identity during conflict… | Use their correct name and pronouns at all times. Identity is not a weapon. |
| Threatening self-harm to stop them leaving… | Contact crisis or mental health support. Do not make another person responsible for keeping you alive or staying with you. |
| Blocking them from friends, family, chosen family or community… | Support their independent relationships and support networks, even when you feel insecure. |
| Pressuring them sexually or emotionally… | Treat hesitation, silence, fear or shutdown as a reason to stop, not push harder. |
| Using trauma, stigma or discrimination to excuse harm… | Get support for your own pain without making it someone else’s responsibility to absorb unsafe behaviour. |
Accountability sounds like…
“I am responsible for my behaviour. I will not use my pain, fear, trauma or identity as an excuse to control or harm someone else. I will get support to change.”
Specialist FDV/IPV Support
Pride in Respect
Specialist Support Service
PiR provides frontline support to people experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV).
This specialist service is a partnership between Living Proud and Ruah Community Services.
Our team are all members of the LGBTIQA+SB community who have specialist knowledge of FDSV.
QLife
QLife provides free and anonymous LGBTIQA+SB peer support and referral throughout Australia. We are here for you if you want to talk about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.
QLife is powered by highly experienced LGBTIQA+SB staff and volunteers across Australia, and also welcomes contact from families, friends, teachers and co-workers of LGBTIQA+SB people.
Full Stop Australia
Full Stop Australia is one of the country’s leading sexual, domestic and family violence response and recovery services.
Full Stop offers free, 24/7, confidential, trauma specialist counselling to people of all genders who have been subject to sexual, domestic and family violence, as well as their friends, colleagues and family members.
Crisis Support
1800RESPECT
1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service providing telephone, text, online chat, or video call support.
1800RESPECT is available for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
13YARN
13YARN is a crisis support line for mob. You can yarn with an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter about your needs, worries or concerns in a culturally safe space.
13YARN is available for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Crisis Care
Crisis Care provides Western Australia’s after-hours response to reported concerns for a child’s safety and wellbeing. Additionally, they provide information and referrals for people experiencing crisis and can be contacted for advice around homelessness services.
Those experiencing Family and Domestic Violence may also contact Crisis Care to discuss accommodation assistance and support services.
Lifeline
Lifeline is a national charity providing Australians who are experiencing emotional distress access to 24-hour crisis support, suicide prevention, mental health, and domestic and family violence prevention services.
Services Directory
National Services
eSafety Commission
The eSafety Commission provides information to help you deal with domestic, family and sexual violence that happens online or uses digital technology. It includes step by step guidance on identifying risks, staying safe online, and practical advice on how to stay connected with your family, friends and community.
The eSafety Commission also has legal powers and an online reporting tool to help you deal with the most serious online abuse, including cyber abuse and image-based abuse (sometimes called ‘revenge porn’).
Lifeline
Lifeline is a national charity providing Australians who are experiencing emotional distress access to 24-hour crisis support, suicide prevention, mental health, and domestic and family violence prevention services.
1800-RESPECT
1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service.
Support is available via phone, with additional text, online chat or videocall options available 24/7.
The Men’s Referral Service
The Men’s Referral Service is a national men’s family violence telephone counselling, information and referral service operating 24/7 and is the central point of contact for men taking responsibility for their violent behaviour.
1800-ELDERhelp
An Australian Government initiative, 1800 ELDERHelp is a free call phone number that automatically redirects callers seeking information and advice on elder abuse with the phone service in their state or territory. The phone line has been set up in collaboration with state and territory governments.
The elder abuse phone line is not crisis support, and operating hours and services vary across states and territories.
13YARN
13YARN www.13yarn.org.au
13YARN is the national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. Offering a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter, who can provide crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
13YARN empowers community with the opportunity to yarn without judgement and provide a culturally safe space to speak about their needs, worries or concerns.
If you, or someone you know, are feeling worried or no good, connect with 13YARN and talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.
Kids Helpline
Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free (even from a mobile), confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25.
Qualified counsellors at Kids Helpline are available anytime and for any reason and you may choose the gender of the counsellor you speak to.
Services include a 24/7 online chat and My Circle, a free, private, safe and confidential peer community support social platform.
MensLine
MensLine Australia offers free professional 24/7 telephone counselling support for men with concerns about mental health, relationships, anger management, family violence (using and experiencing), stress, and suicidal thoughts.
Services include 24/7 online chat and video counselling.
QLife
QLife provides anonymous and free LGBTIQA+ peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about sexuality, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.
Available 3pm-9pm, every day with online chat also available.
Services in Western Australia
DVassist
DVassist provides free, specialist family and domestic violence phone counselling and support for people in regional, rural, and remote Western Australia. They focus on recovery and healing for victim-survivors as they rebuild their lives after violence.
Services include free online recovery and healing counselling and webchat, brief case management, online support groups, recovery and healing retreats, community development, and primary prevention initiatives.
RUAH
Ruah Community Services is an integrated community service provider in Western Australia, providing accommodation, case management, safety planning, risk assessment, court support, education and advocacy services to help manage and resolve the impact and experience of family domestic violence and abuse.
Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline
The Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline is a state-wide 24-hour service. This service provides support for women, with or without children, who are experiencing family and domestic violence. This includes information and advice, referral to local advocacy and support services, liaison with police if necessary, assessing the child’s experience if there are children in the family and support in escaping situations of family and domestic violence. The service can refer women to safe accommodation if required.
Translation & interpretation options are available.
Crisis Care
Crisis Care provides Western Australia’s after-hours response to reported concerns for a child’s safety and wellbeing. Additionally, they provide information and referrals for people experiencing crisis and can be contacted for advice around homelessness services. Those experiencing Family and Domestic Violence may also contact Crisis Care to discuss accommodation assistance and support services.
Services Specialising in Elder Abuse
Advocare: WA Elder Abuse Helpline
Advocare is the independent peak body for older people in WA. They offer confidential, free advocacy, information and support – including when there are issues with aged care, elder abuse, navigating services, or understanding rights.
They also host the state’s free WA Elder Abuse Helpline.
Council on the Ageing WA (COTA WA)
COTA WA is the Vulnerable Seniors Peak Body in Western Australia and provides a range of services and programs to help older people and their families across Western Australia.
Seniors Resources content includes specific resources, guidelines and links relating to Elder Abuse.
Elder Rights WA (ERWA)
ERWA is a Legal Aid initiative with a team of specialised lawyers providing legal advice, assistance and representation to vulnerable seniors who are experiencing certain types of legal matters. Social Workers are also available to support ERWA clients in dealing with social, physical and mental challenges which may impact their legal concerns.
Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre (NSCLC)
The Older People’s Rights Service from NSCLC
provides free legal advice, advocacy, information and support to older people at risk of or experiencing elder abuse. They also deliver peer-education and social support services for older adults.
Resources
Services & information library.
PiR Podcast
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Our Stories
The stories that empower us.
“Not only do we need to ensure that people feel safe in their relationships, but we also need to make sure they feel safe in the services that they’re accessing.”
— Dr Daniel Vujcich, CEO, WAAC.
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