NT’s Domestic Violence Crisis Continues to Claim Aboriginal Women’s Lives

A year after the Northern Territory‘s landmark domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) coronial inquest, little has changed. Frontline workers and Aboriginal health leaders say urgent action is still missing, and tragically, more Aboriginal women are dying.

Dr. Chay Brown, a domestic, family and sexual violence researcher, spoke with NITV about the ongoing crisis. She highlighted the government’s continuing failures and the devastating impact on Aboriginal women, families, and communities.

“We’ve already lost another eight women this year alone, allegedly at the hands of their partners. That’s roughly five times the national average, based on last year’s rates,” she said. The violence is frequent, severe, and the impact on families and communities is immeasurable.

Dr. Brown criticized the NT Government’s response to the inquest findings. She described it as dismissive and insufficient. “All we’ve seen is the government trying to ridicule the coroner in Parliament-and, by extension, the families and friends of those four women.”

She believes it’s a deliberate attempt to demean the efforts of families who dedicated 18 months of their lives to a traumatic inquest.They traveled across remote communities to bear witness and contribute.

The Territory’s housing crisis makes things even worse. “The Northern Territory has 12 times the national rate of homelessness. Programs like the escaping violence payment can help, but they’re useless if there’s nowhere to go.”

The waitlist for public housing is around 10 years, even for priority cases. Women and children’s shelters desperately need proper funding and resources. Right now, hundreds of women are turned away every month.

Dr. Brown emphasized that this is a systemic and racialized crisis. “If the Territory continues to delay, there will be more dead Aboriginal women and children.”

More than 90 percent of domestic violence homicides in the NT since 2000 have involved Aboriginal women. The government doesn’t seem to have the political will to tackle the number one community safety issue here.

The impacts extend far beyond immediate deaths. “The effects are intergenerational. Children witness the violence, and it impacts their development and future relationships. Communities are fractured, and trust is eroded.”

Dr. brown says real change requires a shift in priorities. It needs long-term investment in culturally appropriate services, housing, and support for Aboriginal-led solutions. It’s about listening to the voices of those most affected and empowering communities to heal.