"Because when we have safer families, we have stronger families and stronger communities."
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Representatives of the Border's Indian, Bhutanese and Congolese communities on Wednesday stressed the importance of connected, consistent services in preventing violence against women.
Victorian Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Gabrielle Williams met with the group at Gateway Health Wodonga to hear feedback and ideas about current projects.
Ms Williams told The Border Mail Gateway Health's programs were "brilliant".
"They are forward thinking but they are inclusive and that's what we need to see," she said.
"It's about trying to bridge the gap in culture and custom that people come to Australia with so that we can assist families' transition to a new way of doing things."
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Government funding of $360,000 had enabled the multicultural family safety project, a community-led and culturally sensitive primary prevention initiative, and also culturally responsive conversations about respectful relationships, delivered in partnership with Albury-Wodonga Ethnic Communities Council.
"So as new people arrive in this community, you've got that steadiness, that consistency; that platform to connect with, I think, is really important to keep it going," she said.
Albury's Priyanka Mishra said community members had grown more aware of the Border's support services.
"Now we have a platform where people can come - they know what's going on and what are the resources available to prevent family violence," she said.
She noted violence affected all society, not just multicultural groups so "it's more providing help and support in case a situation arises".
Richard Ogetii, also of Albury, appreciated a government minister taking time to meet with the group.
"For them to be able to listen to us, other than just giving the funding," he said.
"Having these programs, which are run by local organisations like Gateway, they empower the community to be able to get the information.
"To know what is expected and also to be on this journey, so that we can all work together to have safer families because when we have safer families, we have stronger families and stronger communities."
Ms Williams said the issue required "true partnership".
"To ensure that people aren't falling between cracks really, so the more joined up our system is and the more we recognise what expertise each of those parts of the system brings, the better outcomes we'll achieve," the minister said.
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