To find services or supports you are comfortable with, please visit the helplines and support services page – use a friend’s phone if you think yours is being monitored.
Leaving a relationship with a person using violence can have risks, but there is support available to help you identify ways to help keep you and your family safe.
Whether you’re in the process of planning to leave, or you’re ready to go now, there is support available to help you do so safely. Professional support can assist you to make an informed decision about your risks when leaving. This could potentially be an unsafe time, so the best way you can prepare is by creating a plan.
Find a safe location and secure your home
- Changing and adding locks on doors and windows.
- Install security screens.
- Get security cameras and sensor lights.
- Inform your neighbours about what’s going on so they can call police if necessary.
- Create a lockable room in your home.
Contact Safe at Home for support in upgrading your home’s security if you’re looking to stay in your house after leaving a partner using violence.
Keep your information safe
- If you have kids, update their school, and tell them not to give out your details.
- Make sure to update your workplace, doctors, lawyers, banks, telephone companies, teachers, the Australian Electoral Commission and other services to know they must keep your personal information safe.
- Secure your personal identity documents including drivers licence, passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, bank card, and veterans card.
- Be cautious about sharing your location even with friends and family.
- Redirect your mail to ensure an ex-partner can’t intercept any changes to your contact information or your future plans. In family and domestic violence situations, Australia Post provides mail redirections to a PO Box for free.
Update passwords and safeguard your online presence
- Change all your passwords starting with your email, banking and social media and go through anything else that is important you maintain access to.
- If you’re worried that your ex-partner can track online search history, use a device at a public library, or a browser in incognito mode.
- Don’t check in to places on social media, check your posts don’t reveal your location and ask family and friends not to tag you in social media posts.
- Make sure your ex-partner does not have access to your electronic calendar.
- Turn your location off on all trackable devices. This includes your mobile, or devices like Air Tags and tablets.
Consider applying for a Family Violence Restraining Order (FVRO)
A Family Violence Restraining Order (FVRO) is a court order to help keep you and your family safe in a domestic violence situation. Anyone over the age of 16 years old can apply for an FVRO.
A FVRO can be tailored to your situation and prevent your partner or ex-partner from:
- Being near you, your home, place of work, or children.
- Contacting you.
- Making threats.
- Sharing intimate images of you.
- Tracking and following you.
Breaking a Family Violence Restraining Order or Police Order is illegal and is called a ‘breach’. Report each breach to the police, including the time, date, and details of what happened.
Ask for an Incident Report number and keep it safe. Save any evidence of the breach, such as notes, photos, messages, emails, social media posts, and witness details.
If you're renting
There are tenancy laws in Western Australia that can help you to stay safe if you’re affected by family and domestic violence, including:
- If you decide to stay in the rental property, you can go to court to have a perpetrator’s name removed from the lease.
- If you want to leave the tenancy agreement, you can use the Family Violence Termination Notice, giving you permission to terminate the lease with a 7 days’ notice.
- Make your rental home safer by changing the locks on the house without permission.
- Resolve disputes over property damage, unpaid rent, or bonds.
- Avoid or remove your name from a tenancy database if the listing was due to family and domestic violence.
Legal services available
If you need legal assistance after leaving a violent relationship, Legal Aid WA, community legal centres or Aboriginal legal services can provide you with free advice about how you can stay safe.
Visit the family and domestic violence helplines and support services page for a list of services providing legal advice and assistance.
You can also contact the Family Violence Service for assistance with any legal proceedings.
Financial assistance
If you need help with money, there are financial support programs to help you get back on your feet. Find out what payments you can get if you’re experiencing family and domestic violence.
If you are experiencing violence, you are entitled to up to 10 days of family and domestic violence leave from work each year. This leave gives you time to find a safe place to stay without losing income or impacting your job security.
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.
Help and support
There are free and confidential helplines available. Use a friend’s phone if you think yours is being monitored.
- 1800RESPECT: a national sexual assault, domestic family violence counselling service. Phone: 1800 737 732.
- Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline: provides support for women, with or without children, who are experiencing family and domestic violence in Western Australia (including referrals to women’s refuges). Phone: 1800 007 339. *This helpline is operated by Department of Communities, and your call will be answered by a child protection worker. We are here to help.
- Men’s Domestic Violence Helpline: provides telephone information and referrals for men who are concerned about their violent and abusive behaviours, and for male victims of family and domestic violence in Western Australia. Phone: 1800 000 599. *This helpline is operated by Department of Communities, and your call will be answered by a child protection worker. We are here to help.
- Kids Helpline: provides free support and counselling (talking through problems) to people aged 5-25. Phone: 1800 551 800
- Concern for a child's wellbeing: If you are concerned about a child's wellbeing, please contact the Department of Communities Child Protection Central Intake Team on 1800 273 889. If you are calling outside of business hours, Crisis Care is available on 1800 199 008 and provides Western Australia’s after-hours response to reported concerns for a child’s safety and wellbeing and information and referrals for people experiencing crisis. For more information about child protection, please visit Child protection.
- MensLine Australia: Support for men and boys dealing with family and relationship difficulties. Phone: 1300 78 99 78.
- Lifeline: Provide support for those experiencing emotional distress with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. Phone: 13 11 14.
Find more support here:
Family and domestic violence helplines and support services
