Health Piller

Focus Group Members

The Health Pillar Focus Group comprises eighteen passionate members from across Toowoomba who are committed to making a difference.
Members represent many different sectors including:
- Government Departments including Health, Education, the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs
- Non-Government Organisations across the social determinants of health including:
  - Teen Challenge
  - Civic Assist
  - Sunrise Way Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Service
  - Lifeline; and
  - Protea Place Women’s Support Centre.
- Research institutes (University of Southern Queensland)
- First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)representatives
- Health funders (Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network (DD & WM PHN).

The Link Between Health and DV

There is a huge link between domestic and family violence and poor health outcomes. For example, children who have grown up in a family with domestic violence have a higher risk of anxiety, depression, learning difficulties, relationship problems, and alcohol and drug misuse. They may also be more likely to become perpetrators or victims of domestic and family violence as adults.

Domestic Violence and Mental Health

Domestic and family violence can have a significant negative impact on the mental health of the victims, or other family members who witness it. It may result in long-term physical and psychological trauma, and affect sleep, appetite, concentration or other relationships.

Click here to download a one page summary of statistics regarding health and DV

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DV and People Living in Lower Socioeconomic Areas

In 2017–18, people aged 15 and over living in the lowest socioeconomic areas were more than 6 times as likely to be hospitalised for assault by a spouse or domestic partner (47 per 100,000) than those living in the highest socioeconomic areas (7.1 per 100,000).
More than 2 in 5 (45%, or 1,900) hospitalisations for assault perpetrated by a spouse or domestic partner involved people living in the lowest socioeconomic areas.

DV and Education

Research shows that a lack of education is a risk factor for domestic violence. “Lack of education is generally defined as having earned less than a high school diploma, although some studies include those with less than a college degree in their definition. It has been noted that women with less education experience domestic violence at higher rates than women who have achieved a higher level of education. In the simplest of terms, those individuals with less than a college education are at a higher risk of being victims of domestic violence than those with a college degree…Lack of education is also a risk factor associated with perpetrators of domestic violence”.

The Health Pillar Focus Group aims to:

Increase awareness about domestic violence
Be a learning network
Empower victims
Support perpetrators by highlighting pathways for help
Reduce domestic violence; and
Create a better informed and accepting local society

Focus Group Action Plan

The Health Pillar Focus Group has developed an Action Plan to guide their meetings. The Plan has seven key actions:

Stay informed and updated each meeting on projects others are doing in this space (information sharing only)
Hear guest presentations about DV related topics
Put together events to educate the community about DV’s impact on health
Provide a space for both perpetrators and victims to talk about the gaps they are experiencing when accessing services in the community.
Ensure there is a cultural lens when dealing with DV.
Stay informed with the latest data.
Implementing new projects (i.e. this group applies for grants and implements the projects).

For a copy of the 2021 Health Pillar Focus Group Action Plan click here

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