Aboriginal women in the Fitzroy Valley have held a vital role in creating safe and nourishing communities for many thousands of years. Since 1991 and the establishment of the Marninwarntikura Women’s Group and subsequently the Women’s Shelter in 1995 the Fitzroy Valley women have continued to set the agenda for positive change in their communities. The Shelter was the first funded service operating out of Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre, and as such, remains the heart of the organisation.

In 2003 the Family Support and Legal Team was introduced under the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention Legal Services funding provided through NIAA. The purpose was to provide legal and therapeutic supports to women and families across the Fitzroy Valley who have been impacted by family and domestic violence.

The Family Violence Prevention Legal Service provides culturally appropriate legal representation and non-legal therapeutic support services primarily in safety, wellbeing and strengthening family capacity.

While the Shelter is oriented in responding to crisis and the Family Violence Prevention Legal Service can provide ongoing support, collectively, we work together to meet the needs of women, children, and families.

In operating within a trauma-informed, healing aware, and rights-based framework of support, we work with women and communities to find solutions that effectively address the impact and challenges experienced in relation to family and domestic violence. In recognition of this shared commitment and the positive impact we can have when working collaboratively, in 2022 the programs were united under one Manager and renamed to better reflect our core business. This is how we have come to be The Strengthening Families Team.

1800 Respect

At MWRC, we understand that everyone's experience of domestic, family or sexual violence is different. So too is the kind of help and support each person needs.

Since 2022, MWRC has operated a team of Specialist FDV Counsellors as part of the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. 

The team provides confidential information, counselling and support service available for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, chat online or video call via our website.

Frameworks that guide our work

A Client Centred Approach