11 May is Are You Safe at Home? Day, a national initiative developed by Safe and Equal, designed to break down the fear and stigma associated with talking about family violence.
This AYSAH day, help us encourage and empower individuals, workplaces and groups to take action by asking a simple but powerful question: ‘Are you safe at home?’
How you can get involved:
▪️ Share AYSAH content through your social media and other communication channels
▪️ Display AYSAH content in your office, workplace and/or community spaces
▪️ Learn about family violence and how to have safe conversations by completing our 20-minute eLearn
▪️ Get guidance on how to start the conversation with your friends, family or colleagues with our conversation guide
▪️ Create space and opportunity for meaningful conversations that could support people in your community who might be experiencing family violence
🔗 For more information on how to get involved, see our 2026 communications toolkit (link in bio).
#AreYouSafeAtHome #AskListenBelieve
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It can be hard to know what to do if you’re worried someone in your life is unsafe. Simply asking, listening and believing them can have a big impact.
That’s why we created a conversation guide to help drive and support these vital discussions.
We need to look out for our loved ones and each other. By asking someone you know ‘are you safe at home?’, your support could make a real difference.
Here's some tips:
▪️Wait until you have an opportunity to speak with the person alone and in an environment that’s safe for both of you.
▪️Approach the conversation sensitively and empathetically.
▪️Don’t pressure them to talk if they are uncomfortable.
▪️Be patient and let them know you’re there if they need to talk.
To support Are You Safe at Home? Day on Monday 11 May, we invite you to read and share this flow chart with people in your lives and around your communities.
🔗 Access the conversation guide at the link in our bio.
#AreYouSafeAtHome #AskListenBelieve
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Are You Safe at Home? Day is fast approaching on Monday 11 May!
Are You Safe at Home? is a national initiative developed by Safe and Equal, designed to break down the fear and stigma associated with talking about family violence. This AYSAH day, help us encourage and empower individuals, workplaces, and groups to take action by asking a simple but powerful question: ‘Are you safe at home?’
You don’t need to be an expert. Just by asking, listening and believing, you can have an enormous impact on someone’s journey to safety.
Help us spread the word with our communications toolkit!
Share Are You Safe at Home? content on your social media and other communication channels and print and display resources in your workplace and local community.
Because anyone can experience family violence, and anyone can help end it.
🔗 Access the 2026 communications toolkit at the link in our bio.
For more information, visit areyousafeathome.org.au
#AreYouSafeAtHome #AskListenBelieve
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🌈 Today is International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination (IDAHOBIT) – a chance to stand with and celebrate LGBTQIA+ people and communities.
On IDAHOBIT Day and every day, Safe and Equal stands with LGBTIQA+ people and their right to live with dignity, safety and freedom from violence – no matter what. We unequivocally condemn homophobia, transphobia, hate, discrimination and violence in all its forms.
Everyone deserves to be safe, happy and supported in their relationships and their lives.
IDAHOBIT was first observed in 2005 and commemorates the removal of homosexuality from the World Health Organisation’s Classification of Diseases in 1990. Each year on May 17, millions around the world proudly display rainbows to encourage safer spaces and communities.
Every person can make a difference, with @minus18youth ’s 2025 LGBTQIA+ youth survey showing that 86% of LGBTIQA+ young people feel safer when they see someone wearing a rainbow. You can read the full survey report at minus18.org.au/national-survey-2025
Head to idahobit.org.au for more information about IDAHOBIT and how to get involved in the day.
📞 If you need support, reach out to Rainbow Door on 1800 729 367 and QLife on 1800 184 527. For free state-wide legal assistance, reach out to Q+ Law (Fitzroy Legal Service) on 9968 1002.
🔗 Visit areyousafeathome.org.au/lgbtiqa for information about supporting LGBTIQA+ people experiencing family violence. (Link in bio.)
#IDAHOBIT #IDAHOBIT2026
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Despite rising rates of family and gender-based violence across the nation, limited funding to prevent and respond to the crisis was announced in last night’s 2026-27 Federal Budget.
Safe and Equal recognises the Commonwealth Government’s commitment to ending family and gender-based violence and its overall investment to date. Disappointingly, the investment outlined in this year’s Budget does not come close to addressing the scale of family violence we are seeing in Australia.
🔗 Head to the link in our bio to read our full budget response.
#FederalBudget2026
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If you’re worried someone you know might be experiencing family violence, it can be hard to know what to do. By simply asking someone ‘are you safe at home?’, you can make a huge difference.
Wait until you have an opportunity to speak with the person alone and in an environment that’s safe for both of you. Approach the conversation sensitively and empathetically. Don’t pressure them to talk if they are uncomfortable. Be patient and let them know you’re there if they need to talk.
It takes a lot of strength and courage to tell someone about violence or abuse. If someone opens up to you, it’s important that you listen without interrupting, believe them and take the abuse seriously.
Anyone can experience family violence. And anyone can help end it.
🔗 Head to areyousafeathome.org.au for lots of helpful tips, conversation starters and information to help you support them on their journey to safety.
#AreYouSafeAtHome #AskListenBelieve
Today is Are You Safe at Home? Day.
It's an important opportunity to reach out to people in your life who may be experiencing abuse, letting them know they're not alone and that support is available.
You don’t need to be an expert. Just ask, listen and believe.
Today and every day, let's start the conversation to end family violence.
🔗 If you’re experiencing abuse, help is available. Find a support service near you at areyousafeathome.org.au (link in bio)
🔗 If you're worried about someone who might be experiencing family violence, head to areyousafeathome.org.au for lots of helpful tips, conversation starters and information to help you support them on their journey to safety.
#AreYouSafeAtHome #AskListenBelieve
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Ahead of Are You Safe at Home? Day next week, we asked survivor advocates the following question:
'What is something that friends, family or colleagues might miss that could indicate someone might be experiencing family violence?'
“If everything seems too good to be true, it probably is. No relationship is perfect. People disagree. But when everything seems perfect, don’t be afraid to look a little closer. Coercive control is so insidious... it's a slow burn of little signs, rather than all at once.”
–Martina
“Look out for controlling behaviours – speaking on her behalf, constant surveillance, making all the decisions, putting her down, criticising her appearance, managing all the finances, aggression, sexist remarks – all are red flags.”
–Alex*
“It might be something as simple as someone needing to constantly be in touch with their partner to let them know where they are, they may not ever have any spare money to just go out for a cuppa and hang with their friends, they may flinch if they hear fighting, the kids might seem on edge at the first sign of arguing.”
–Martina
🔗 If you’re experiencing abuse, help is available. Find a support service near you at areyousafeathome.org.au (link in bio).
🔗 If you're worried about someone who might be experiencing family violence, head to areyousafeathome.org.au for lots of helpful tips, conversation starters and information to help you support them on their journey to safety.
*Name changed to protect the survivor advocate's privacy.
#AreYouSafeAtHome #AskListenBelieve
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Are You Safe at Home Day is on Monday!
Have you spotted our street posters ahead of next week?
You can spot them on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne and on Wadawurrung land in Ballarat and Geelong. So tag us when you see one! With thanks to @Plakkit_ for helping us get the message out - Ask. Listen. Believe - big and bold.
This year we're also thrilled to have billboards and posters up in the city of Knox, thanks to @knoxcouncil .
Of course, AYSAH is a national campaign, so we'd love all the help we can to promote far and wide.
You can print your own version of these posters by accessing the 2026 communications toolkit, linked in our bio.
Anyone can experience family violence. And anyone can help end it.
🔗 For more, visit areyousafeathome.org.au
#AreYouSafeatHome #AskListenBelieve
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By just asking, listening and believing, you can make a huge difference.
We spoke to survivor advocate Martina about the importance of starting the conversation with someone who may be experiencing abuse:
“I used to think I was safe at home... it wasn’t until a friend checked in on me privately one day and asked me if I was okay. I seemed sad and stressed. It was only then when I felt I had someone who could see through my mask.
And then, they actually listened to my response and asked more questions, carefully and respectfully. They told me I was not alone and they would help me if and when I wanted it. This fundamentally changed my life for the better.
My abuser was my female partner and no one ever thought that she was abusive. Abuse is about power and control and it happens in the LGBTQI+ community too. If you have a queer friend and they seem unhappy or scared in their relationship, don’t be afraid to ask them the question are you safe at home? It just might save a life.”
🔗 If you’re experiencing abuse, help is available. Find a support service near you at areyousafeathome.org.au (link in bio).
🔗 If you're worried about someone who might be experiencing family violence, head to areyousafeathome.org.au for lots of helpful tips, conversation starters and information to help you support them on their journey to safety.
#AreYouSafeAtHome #AskListenBelieve
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Today, on National Domestic Violence Remembrance Day, we honour all who have lost their lives in senseless acts of family and gender-based violence.
At least 22 women* have been killed in Australia this year – and these are just the stories we know about. This figure does not include the women and children whose deaths go unreported or unrecognised as family violence, including many missing and murdered Aboriginal women, and those who have died by suicide.
We recognise every victim survivor not as statistics, but people. People who are loved and deeply missed by their friends, families and communities and who deserved so much better.
We also recognise every victim survivor who continues to live with the impacts of violence – it is for you that we continue to fight for change.
This violence is preventable, but only if we have collective attention and action. That includes urgent, increased and sustained investment to address both the underlying drivers of violence and to ensure victim survivors can access timely and appropriate support. Nothing will change without this.
Today, we honour those who are no longer here by demanding more from our leaders. Because the cost of inaction is measured in lives lost – and that price is already far too high.
*There is still no complete and official list of every Australian woman and child murdered in acts of family and gender-based violence, but there are several key resources we use. At the time of publishing this post, Destroy the Joint has recorded 17 women killed in 2026, and Australian Femicide Watch has recorded 22 women.
However, it is important to remember that the true number of women and children killed is likely higher.
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The Victorian Government has reinstated crucial funding for family violence services in today’s 2026-27 State Budget. While this is a huge relief to the sector, it’s not enough to address the rising rates of family and gender-based violence in Victoria.
🔗 Head to the link in our bio to read our full budget response.
#VicBudget
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