What happens when Aboriginal women seek help with domestic and family violence?

When an Aboriginal woman phones for help or walks into a police station, how do police respond?

What's the role of DCJ, the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, when family violence is reported by a mum?

What does healing mean for Aboriginal women?

Mudgin-Gal Yarns is a 5 part series releasing weekly. It's hosted by Ashlee Donohue, a proud Dunghutti woman, born and raised in Kempsey on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia.

Yarning Circle 1

This is an edited version of the one of four yarning circles, done as part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann. You won't hear about the violence itself.

You'll hear what happens when inner city Aboriginal women in Sydney, Australia, try and get help for themselves and their families with domestic and family violence. And our ideas on what can change.

These yarning circles took place at Mudgin-Gal Women's Place in 2023 and 2024.

Voices in this episode

Yarning Circle participants: Donna, Jamie-Lee, Kowana, Selena, Stacey, Tanay and Tracy.

Host Ashlee Donohue: current CEO of Mudgin-Gal Women's Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal led and run women's centre in Redfern, Sydney.

Jane Wangmann: Associate Professor, Faculty of Law UTS and family violence researcher

Credits

These yarning circles were part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann.

Artwork by Vicki Golding.

Mudgin-Gal Yarns is produced by Jane Curtis of UTS Impact Studios.

Sound engineering by John Jacobs.

Impact Studios Executive Producer is Sarah Gilbert.

Our theme music is Intertwined, written by Nardi Simpson and performed by The Stiff Gins.