Today we honour the strength, resilience and leadership of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who share a commitment to preventing violence against women and their children.
This commitment is grounded in culture, kinship, ancestral knowledge and the determination to build safer futures for generations to come. Their leadership, courage, commitment to intersectionality and innovation guide the path forward for prevention across Australia.
26 January remains a day of mourning for many, marked by the impacts of racism and ongoing colonisation. The disproportionate violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women is driven by systemic inequality, racism and disempowerment. Ending this violence is possible, and it will be driven by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, supported by genuine partnerships and commitment to action from non-Aboriginal people.
Last year, Our Watch took an important step in our own journey by establishing the Directorate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy. This new directorate ensures that prevention work is prioritised based on the most impacted group across Australia. This directorate is led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women whose wisdom, leadership and lived experience guide our work.
We continue to see remarkable innovation emerging from community-led prevention efforts, especially in remote and rural areas where solutions are built from cultural strength, local priorities and deep understanding of community needs.
These solutions are not only addressing the most acute challenges; they are generating approaches from which non-Aboriginal people and those working across the prevention continuum can learn. Our role is to support, not steer; to share power, not prescribe; and to walk alongside communities as they lead the way.
The momentum of truth-telling and self-determination is visible across the country, particularly in Victoria, where the establishment of Treaty represents a significant shift in how decisions affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are made. Treaty creates structures where power is shared in a real and enduring way, where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people hold a genuine seat at the table. We welcome this and see it as a powerful foundation for a future where policy, prevention activity and justice are shaped collaboratively and respectfully.
At Our Watch, we understand that we are on a journey of learning and change. We do not have all the answers, but we are committed to listening deeply, sharing power, acting with humility and being accountable as we work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We walk forward with optimism, guided by cultural strength and community leadership towards a violence-free future.
On 26 January, we stand with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in recognition, respect and hope, honouring the past, acknowledging the pain, and supporting the powerful leadership that continues to light the way toward safety, justice and healing for all Australians.
Please contact media@ourwatch.org.au or call 0448 844 930.
If you cover this story, or any story regarding violence against women and children, please include the following tagline:
1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family, and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via www.1800RESPECT.org.au, or text 0458 737 732. Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can access support through 13YARN.
Access guides for reporting about violence against women and their children.
Our Watch is Australia’s leader in the primary prevention of violence against women. The organisation was created to drive nation-wide change in the practices, norms, and structures that lead to violence against women and children. Read more about Our Watch here.