
Health Piller
Focus Group Members
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The Health Pillar Focus Group comprises eighteen passionate members from across Toowoomba who are committed to making a difference.
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Members represent many different sectors including:
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Government Departments including Health, Education, the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs
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Non-Government Organisations across the social determinants of health including:
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Teen Challenge
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Civic Assist
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Sunrise Way Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Service
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Lifeline; and
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Protea Place Women’s Support Centre.
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Research institutes (University of Southern Queensland)
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First Nations and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)representatives
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Health funders (Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network (DD & WM PHN).
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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:
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Increase awareness about domestic violence
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Be a learning network
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Empower victims
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Support perpetrators by highlighting pathways for help
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Reduce domestic violence; and
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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:
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Stay informed and updated each meeting on projects others are doing in this space (information sharing only)
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Hear guest presentations about DV related topics
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Put together events to educate the community about DV’s impact on health
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Provide a space for both perpetrators and victims to talk about the gaps they are experiencing when accessing services in the community.
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Ensure there is a cultural lens when dealing with DV.
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Stay informed with the latest data.
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Implementing new projects (i.e. this group applies for grants and implements the projects).