The Our Ways Strong Together website is not compatible with Internet Explorer. Please use a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari for the best experience.
Our Statement
For more than 60,000 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have nurtured and protected our families through kinship, culture, community and care.
Family, domestic and sexual violence is a serious issue both in Australia and globally, affecting people from all backgrounds and communities. It can have profound physical, psychological and emotional impacts on individuals, families and communities.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience disproportionately high rates of family, domestic and sexual violence. These experiences are not inherent to our cultures but are direct consequences of ongoing colonisation and systemic failures. Family, domestic and sexual violence is often a gendered issue that affects all communities and our cultures are not the cause.
We honour those we have lost, and we stand with survivors and communities working to strengthen the safety, healing and wellbeing of our people.
We also recognise the strength, resilience and leadership within our communities, and the vital role of community-led solutions in preventing, responding to and healing from family, domestic and sexual violence.
Who Are We
Our Vision
All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Australia are culturally safe, strong and empowered, living free from violence.
Our Commitment
Our Ways Strong Together is committed to supporting effective, culturally grounded responses to family, domestic and sexual violence that honour our ways of healing and protecting our families. We will do this by centring our members’ priorities, community-led approaches, lived experience, cultural knowledge and sector expertise.
What We Do
Our work is guided by our members. Every initiative is shaped through co-design and collective decision-making. Together we:
- Provide national leadership and influence across prevention, early intervention, response and healing.
- Co-design policy, funding and systems reform with governments and members.
- Strengthen the capacity of the FDSV sector through member-led priorities.
- Facilitate collaboration and coordination across sectors, informed by member voices.
- Build knowledge, data and evidence through community-led research and member input.