Living Proud has announced a new Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) initiative in partnership with Ruah Community Services.
Funded through the National Partnership Agreement on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses 2021-2027, they say this project is a major step forward in building inclusive and best-practice support for victim-survivors of family and domestic violence within the LGBTIQA+SB community.
SB in the acronym stands for Sistergirl and Brotherboy, gender descriptors in the Indigenous communities.
As lead organisation, Living Proud are employing two Specialist Family and Domestic Violence workers to
strengthen support for LGBTIQA+SB victim-survivors with care tailored to their experiences.
The organisation says the new initiative responds to the growing recognition that family and intimate partner violence affects all communities but presents unique challenges for LGBTIQA+SB individuals due to stigma, discrimination, and systemic barriers.
Meaghan Holden, CEO at Living Proud, said the new initiative was an important one.
“This is such an exciting and important initiative for our community. Everyone deserves access to safe, inclusive support, and we’re proud to be leading this project alongside Ruah Community Services.
“We are incredibly grateful to Ruah for their support, collaboration, and willingness to share their expertise in this space. Together, we will build a more inclusive and effective response to family and intimate partner violence, ensuring that all victim-survivors can access the support they need.”
Carmen Acosta, Executive Manager – Legal Services at Ruah also welcomed the new partnership.
“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Living Proud on this essential initiative. LGBTIQA+ communities
deserve support that is inclusive, safe, and responsive to their needs. By working together, we can ensure
frontline workers are equipped to deliver care that truly makes a difference.”
More details about the initiative will be shared in early 2025 as Living Proud progresses the recruitment of
the Specialist FDV workers and develops the program in consultation with community stakeholders.
This project builds on the momentum of the WA government’s recent funding announcement for a ground-breaking FDV awareness campaign tailored to the LGBTIQA+SB community.
The campaign, delivered in partnership with WAAC, GRAI, and TransFolk WA, aims to break the silence around violence and shine a light on the challenges faced by the community.
