Supporting a friend or family member

There are a number of things you can look out for if you think a friend is experiencing domestic violence. These include your friend:

• Being unusually nervous, depressed or withdrawn;
• Being overly anxious about their partner or their partner’s moods;
• Becoming increasingly isolated from friends or family; or
• Having unexplained physical injuries eg cuts, bruises or sprains.

Or that their partner:

• Puts them down a lot in front of you or others;
• Orders them about or seems to make all the decisions; or
• Controls all the money or social activities or contact with friends.

Any of these things may indicate that your friend/family member is experiencing domestic violence. If you are not sure, you could call the DV Line (1800 65 64 63) to talk to them about what you have noticed. Remember to keep the person’s details confidential. You can describe what is happening without saying who the person is.