Xstrata and the Department of Communities - working in partnership to prevent domestic and family violence

The Department of Communities is engaged in a three-year partnership with mining company Xstrata to implement the Xstrata Domestic and Family Violence Community Assistance Initiative in Central and Western Queensland. Under this initiative, one-off funds of $677,493 over three years have been provided to establish domestic and family violence prevention and support services that directly benefit mining communities in and around Mount Isa and Emerald.

In Mount Isa, the funds have enabled the North Queensland Domestic Violence Resource Centre to establish a men's perpetrator behaviour change program in addition to providing advocacy for the partners of the men who engage with the service. The program works with men who use abusive behaviour towards their partners and aims to challenge and change their behaviour to promote positive, non-abusive relationships and safer families. The service also provides court assistance to men appearing before the Magistrates Court on domestic and family violence related matters. Awareness raising and community education in Mount Isa and communities in the Gulf is another activity of the service in collaboration with local agencies.

In Emerald, the Xstrata funding has enabled the Domestic Violence Service of Central Queensland under the auspice of Centacare to provide outreach counselling and support services to women and children who experience domestic and family violence in the surrounding communities of Blackwater, Capella, Clermont, Dysart, Springsure and Tieri.

This important partnership continues to make a significant contribution to the prevention of domestic and family violence in the Mount Isa and Emerald communities and in providing timely support to those affected by violence of this nature.