COVID-19 may lead to increased rates of family and domestic violence with additional risks for women and children, particularly with the introduction of necessary movement restrictions and isolation measures.
As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, please be assured that family and domestic violence services are still operating. Some services may provide support in different ways as required under health directives.
Emergency responses and support is still available during this time.
If an emergency or if you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger call the police now on 000.
If it is not an emergency, there are 24-hour helplines available to provide support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Different services and supports are available depending on your circumstances. Please visit our Family and Domestic Violence support and advice page for more information.
WA Police
- In an emergency dial 000
- Police Operations phone: 131 444
To report an incident of family and domestic violence call police on 131 444. Calls to 131 444 from most regional areas are automatically directed to the nearest police station. This number and the triple zero service (000) can be accessed via the National Relay Service on TTY 106.
SMSAssist is a text messaging service for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, which can be used to contact WA Police and request assistance. It should not be relied upon in an emergency and the service only applies to Western Australia. To use SMSAssist dial 0403 277 478.
See the WA Police website for more information on how to report domestic and family violence to the police.
Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Aboriginal Family Legal Services: a not-for-profit organisation that assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to live free from family violence and sexual assault. Offers free legal services, community education and early intervention and prevention programs. Phone (08) 9355 1502; free call: 1800 469 246.
- Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia: provides legal representation and support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia. Phone: (08) 9265 6666 (business hours) or (08) 9265 6644 (after hours); free call: 1800 019 900 from anywhere in Western Australia.
- Aboriginal Interpreting WA: Provides interpreters accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) in more than 18 Kimberley and central desert Indigenous languages to clients anywhere in Australia. Phone (08) 9192 3981; free call: 1800 330 331.
- Djinda Service: Provides advocacy and support for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander women and children in the Perth metropolitan area who have experienced family violence or sexual assault. Phone: (08) 6164 0650.
- Marnin Family Support and Legal Unit: Delivers culturally appropriate legal representation and non-legal holistic support services for Aboriginal women and children in the Fitzroy Crossing area experiencing family and domestic violence. Phone: (08) 9191 5284.
- Albany Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service: Legal service in the Albany area for Aboriginal adults and children experiencing domestic and family violence. Phone: (08) 9842 7751; free call: 1800 557 187.
- Yorgum Healing Services: Culturally secure healing, counselling, therapy and support to help Aboriginal children, young people and adults recover from the harmful impacts of child sexual abuse and/or family and domestic violence. Phone: (08) 9218 9477; free call: 1800 469 371.
Services for children and young people
- Kids Helpline is a free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25 in Australia. Free call 1800 551 800 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Visit the Kids Helpline website to access email or web counselling services.
- The Patricia Giles Centre for Non-Violence provides individual counselling, group programs, camps and family day outings for clients, mostly children aged 4 to 18, who have witnessed and/or experienced violence in the family. Phone: (08) 9300 0340.
Services for culturally and linguistically diverse people
- Multicultural Women’s Advocacy and Support: promotes the safety of women from migrant, refugee, or culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Outreach services are in Rockingham/Fremantle, Gosnells, Mirrabooka and Northbridge. Phone: (08) 9328 1200.
- Multicultural Services Centre of WA: provides a range of programs and services to migrants and refugees. Phone: (08) 9328 2699.
- Centrelink – Multicultural and Multilingual Services: speak with a skilled bilingual service officer about Centrelink payments and services. Phone: 131 202 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm).
- Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre: aims to safeguard the rights of ethnic people with disabilities and their families. Phone: (08) 9388 7455; free call 1800 659 921.
- Family Safety Pack: this resource has been developed by the Australian Government Department of Social Services with information on Australia’s laws regarding domestic and family violence, sexual assault and forced marriage. It aims to reduce violence against women from CALD backgrounds, by ensuring they understand their rights and where to get support if needed. The pack includes factsheets on a range of topics, translated into over 40 languages.
Services for people of diverse sex, sexuality and gender
Living Proud LGBTI Community Services of WA aims to promote the wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other sexuality, sex and gender diverse people in Western Australia. Phone: (08) 9486 9855; QLife Counselling Line free call: 1800 184 527; Qlife webchat.
Legal advice and assistance
- Legal Aid WA: the Domestic Violence Legal Unit provides legal advice and assistance regarding family violence issues including restraining orders and safety issues. Phone: (08) 9261 6804.
- Women’s Legal Service WA: community legal centre that provides legal services to women across WA. Phone: (08) 9272 8800; Country free call: 1800 625 122.
- Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre: provides legal and advocacy services to people (mostly those living in the northern suburbs of Perth). Phone: (08) 9440 1663 (Mirrabooka) or (08) 9301 4413 (Joondalup).
- Fremantle Community Legal Centre: legal and non-legal support services and referrals for those on low incomes in Fremantle and surrounding area. A Family Violence lawyer is available for victims of family violence in the Fremantle area. Phone: (08) 9432 9790.
- Gosnells Community Legal Centre: legal services for those on low income (mostly those living in Gosnells and surrounding area). Phone: (08) 9398 1455.
- SCALES Community Legal Centre: provides free legal advice, information and representation to low income people living in the Kwinana and Rockingham areas. Phone (08) 9550 0400.
- Circle Green Community Legal: community legal centre that provides state-wide specialist legal services in employment, residential tenancy law, family and domestic violence, and migration services. Phone (08) 6148 3636.
- Midlas Community Legal Centre: provides legal and non-legal support services to Perth’s North Eastern suburbs (mostly those living in the City of Swan catchment area). Phone: (08) 9250 2123.
Financial abuse
Your Toolkit helps women and their children facing financial or other domestic abuse become empowered through increased skills and knowledge, supporting them on their journey to an independent, confident and safe life.
Family and domestic violence and the workplace
- Gendered Violence Research Network, UNSW: provides information on addressing gendered violence in the workplace.
- Safe Work Australia: information on work-related violence.
- Public Sector Family and Domestic violence leave: information on workplace support for public sector employees experiencing family and domestic violence.
Family and domestic violence and technology
Technology can be an important way to connect with family, friends and community. Unfortunately, technology can also be used by perpetrators seeking to stalk and abuse women, or restrict communication.
Before installing any personal safety app, consider whether an abusive person monitors your device, has had physical access to your device in the past, or may have access to it in the future. It may not be safe to download a personal safety app in these circumstances.
Before engaging with a personal safety app, survivors are encouraged to discuss the pros and cons with their support service and include it in their safety planning.
More information about technology-based abuse is available from:
- eSafety Commissioner: about technology-facilitated abuse.
- Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria: about technology safety.
- 1800RESPECT: national sexual assault and family and domestic violence counselling service.
- Australian Cyber Security Centre: information on reporting cybercrime.
Personal safety apps
- Daisy: Daisy is 1800RESPECT’s app to connect people experiencing violence or abuse to services in their local area.
- Sunny: Sunny is 1800RESPECT’s app for women with disability who have experienced violence and abuse. Sunny has been co-designed with women with disability.
Cover your tracks online
For information about how to browse incognito and/or erase your history, see the eSafety Commissioner website.
Peak bodies in WA
(Please note these organisations do not provide direct services.)
- The Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing is the peak body for domestic and family violence services, sexual assault services and community-based women's health services. Phone: (08) 9420 7264.
- Stopping Family Violence: Western Australia’s peak body supporting all sectors and services involved in responding to perpetrators of Family and Domestic Violence. Phone: (08) 9355 0234.
