Domestic and Family Violence Support | MATE

Domestic and family violence is any behaviour in an intimate or family relationship which is violent, threatening, coercive or controlling, causing a person to live in fear.

Domestic and family violence can happen in intimate relationships, including:

• Couples who are married or engaged to be married, separated, divorced, whether of the same of different sex
• De facto partners, whether of the same or different sex
• Couples promised to each other under cultural or religious tradition
• Dating couples

Domestic and family violence can also happen in family relationships, including:

• People who are related through blood, marriage or de facto partnerships, adoption and fostering relationships siblings and extended family
• The full range of kinship ties in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• Constructs of family within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer (LGBTIQ) communities
• People living in the same house or the same residential care facility
• People reliant on care

Domestic and family violence can impact anyone and happens in every community, all cultures, and to people in every age and income group. However, gender is the biggest risk factor for domestic violence. Women and their children are most at risk of domestic violence from their current of former partners.

We know that phones, internet and account access can sometimes be misused in harmful ways. This might include:

• Accessing your call history, messages or usage details without your knowledge
• Logging into your accounts without permission or pretending to be you
• Disconnecting, transferring or changing services to cut off your contact with others
• Setting up new services in your name without your consent

If you’re facing anything like this, please get in touch. Our team is trained to help people who are affected by domestic or family violence. You will always be treated with respect, patience and understanding.

If you prefer, we can add a private note to your account so you don’t have to repeat your story each time you contact us.

Anything you share with us stays between you and MATE. We won’t share your information with anyone – even if they’re listed on your account

You can read more in our Privacy Policy.

If you’re going through financial hardship, we’ll work with you to find a solution that fits your needs. This could include payment plans or other types of support.

You can find more details in our Payment Assistance Policy or reach out to our team.

Right now, we don’t offer dedicated internal DFV support services. But we can help connect you to people who do. If you need immediate support, you can reach out to:

• 1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732 – 24/7 national counselling and support
• Lifeline – 13 11 14 – Crisis support and suicide prevention
• WESNET – 1800 937 638 – Specialist Women’s DFV services
• MensLine Australia – 1800 789 978 – Free help, referrals and counselling for men
• QLife – 1300 184 527 – Free LGBTIQ+ peer support and referral