One of Victoria's leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island family violence prevention organisations has used the first NAIDOC week since the failed Voice referendum to urge people to listen to Aboriginal voices.
It comes as multiple Indigenous groups have called for self-determination to lead the way when it comes to closing the gap, especially in the wake of the scathing productivity commission report earlier this year which found closing the gap targets were "worsening".
Legal service Djirra is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) providing holistic, culturally safe and both legal and non-legal support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing family violence — most of them women.
Djirra chief executive Antoinette Braybrook said every Indigenous woman "deserves to be safe, respected, and to have choices".
"Aboriginal women deserve a service for their safety; one without judgement, and one that validates and acknowledges their Aboriginality," she said.
In the first NAIDOC week since the Voice referendum was defeated in October last year, various organisations have been loath to highlight they are still out there, making a difference and advocating for real change.
For many, this is about governments and those in power to embrace self-determination and listen to Indigenous voices and Indigenous-led organisations, like Djirra.
The organisation has indicated one of their goals is for no woman in the state to have to travel more than an hour to access culturally safe services and support. Currently, 'Djirra in the West' oversees an area of more than 740 sq km.
"We must see investment from all governments to support Djirra's expansion of services in regional areas, so that no Aboriginal woman has to travel any more than an hour or 100kms for her safety," Ms Braybrook said.
The organisation celebrated one year of their 'Djirra in the West' site in Melton this month, helping women in a broad area to the west of Melbourne - from Ballarat to Werribee to Melton - and helping members of the community who often face significantly disproportionate rates of family violence.
Highlighting the positives of culturally safe care, Ms Braybrook said 'Djirra in the West' is a "special place", where Indigenous women continue to place their trust in an ACCO.
@DjirraVIC welcomes the growing recognition across the country of the need to do more about serial perpetrators of family & sexual violence against our women. This is a significant issue for the Aboriginal women @DjirraVIC supports 1/7 pic.twitter.com/8DxeRAekey
— Antoinette Braybrook AM. YES (@BraybrookA) June 24, 2024
"It is vibrant, busy, and known across the western region as a place where Aboriginal women who experience family can access a broad range legal and non-legal services for their safety and that of their children," she said.
"It is also a place where women can gather to join other women for cultural and healing workshops.
"Over the past 12 months, the demand has soared an extraordinary 14 times for our specialist legal and non-legal services at Djirra in the West. This tells us that Aboriginal women continue to place their trust and confidence in us. It also tells us that we are making a difference for mums and their kids."
The theme of this year's week is "Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud," with Ms Braybrook saying the "unyielding strength and resilience of Aboriginal women is at Djirra's core".
"Djirra amplifies the voices and experiences of Aboriginal women – we will never be silent even when others choose not to listen," she said.
"Now more than ever it's vital that we keep the fire burning. Djirra will always be a place that keeps our women and kids safe and together, strong in culture and proud in identity."
