Family violence occurs when a perpetrator exercises power and control over another person.

Family violence involves coercive and abusive behaviours by the perpetrator that are designed to intimidate, humiliate, undermine and isolate, resulting in fear and insecurity. These behaviours can include physical and sexual abuse, as well as psychological, emotional, cultural, spiritual and financial abuse.

In Indigenous communities, family violence is defined as relating to a wide range of physical, emotional, sexual, social, spiritual, cultural, psychological and economic abuses that occur within families, intimate relationships, extended families, kinship networks and communities, and extends to one-on-one fighting and self-harm, injury and suicide (Victorian Indigenous Family Violence Task Force Final Report, 2003).

Our Work

WHIN employs the Northern Integrated Family Violence Services (NIFVS) team and resources the NIFVS Regional Integration Committee. The NIFVS team includes the The NIFVS team includes the Communications and Project Officer.

For information about the work of NIFVS, go to the NIFVS website. For resources about family violence response, go the NIFVS resources page.

NIFVS Regional Integration Committee

This Committee provides family violence system leadership across the northern metropolitan region of Melbourne. Its mission is to provide regional leadership that increases the safety of victim survivors, the accountability of perpetrators and strengthens Victoria’s family violence reforms.

Chaired by the WHIN CEO and resourced by the NIFVS team, the Committee meets throughout the year, identifying and prioritising local and regional family violence issues within the state-wide policy framework. It focuses on regional work to achieve improved integration of family violence services and coordination with other key sector services.

NIFVS Counselling and Support Alliance

The NIFVS Counselling and Support Alliance (CSA), comprising 12 community health and specialist family violence services, continues coordinate the planning, implementation and evaluation of family violence counselling and group work for women and children.  The NIFVS team convenes bi-monthly meetings as well as providing professional development through a Family Violence Practitioners Group, and on-site consultations with the NIFVS Workforce Development Officer.