🌸 Supporting Women to Reclaim Safety, Confidence & Choice

This space offers calm, practical, and grounding support for women seeking clarity, emotional steadiness, safety information, or guidance toward regaining control of their lives.

Whether you’re experiencing stress, confusion, difficult relationships, or major life transitions, these resources are here to help you feel informed, empowered, and supported.

This information is not legal advice, but it can help you understand your rights and options so you can make confident, informed decisions.

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🌿 1. Understanding Your Rights as a Woman in Australia

Women in Australia are protected by strong federal and state laws that support your safety, autonomy, and wellbeing.

Your rights include:

• The right to live free from violence — physical, emotional, sexual, financial, or coercive control.

• The right to make your own decisions about your life, your body, your relationships, and your money.

• The right to access support services without needing anyone else’s permission.

• The right to police protection and legal orders such as AVOs.

• The right to confidential help from DV services, counsellors, healthcare providers, and support organisations.

Key protective laws:

• Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW)

• Family Law Act 1975

• Sex Discrimination Act 1984

• Fair Work Act 2009 — Paid Domestic Violence Leave provisions

You do not need to be physically harmed for the law to support you.
Coercive control, intimidation, threats, monitoring, and financial restriction are also recognised forms of abuse.

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🌸 2. Emotional Wellbeing & Self-Advocacy

Women often carry invisible emotional loads — caring for others, managing relationships, financial pressure, and internalising stress.

These tools help you recognise when your mind and body may need extra support:

You may benefit from support if you:

• feel continuously overwhelmed or anxious

• experience sleep issues, panic, or constant worry

• feel controlled, criticised, or “not like yourself”

• feel emotionally numb, shut down, or exhausted

• walk on eggshells around someone

• feel pressured to keep the peace at your own expense

Helpful tools include:

• grounding practices

• emotional regulation techniques

• identifying unhealthy patterns

• building your support system

• understanding trauma responses

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🌙 3. Healthy Relationships & Red Flags

A healthy relationship feels safe, respectful, and supportive.

Healthy behaviours include:

• open communication

• shared decision-making

• mutual respect

• emotional and physical safety

• trust, honesty, and independence

Red flags may include:

• constant criticism or put-downs

• excessive jealousy, monitoring, or checking your phone

• controlling where you go or who you see

• restricting money or access to resources

• intimidation, threats, or manipulation

• silent treatment, gaslighting, or blame-shifting

• pressure to do things you’re uncomfortable with

• isolating you from family or friends

If any of these feel familiar, support is available.

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✨ 4. Steps Toward Empowerment & Safety

You are not alone. These steps may help you regain clarity and control:

1. Talk to someone safe

A trusted friend, family member, GP, counsellor, or DV support service.

2. Document what’s happening

Keep notes, screenshots, or evidence stored privately and securely.

3. Learn your options

Understand the protections, supports, and legal pathways available.

4. Create a basic safety plan

A downloadable version is available in your resources.

5. Reach out early

You never need to wait for things to “get worse.” Support exists now.

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💛 5. When to Seek Immediate Help

If you ever feel unsafe, frightened, threatened, or closely monitored:

• 000 — Police or Ambulance

• 1800RESPECT (24/7) — 1800 737 732

• NSW Domestic Violence Line — 1800 65 64 63

• Lifeline — 13 11 14

• Your local police station

Help is confidential, judgment-free, and available at all times.

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🌼 6. Local NSW Services for Women

• Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS)

• Victims Services NSW

• Legal Aid NSW (Domestic Violence Unit)

• Adira Centre – NSW Multicultural Centre for Women’s and Family Safety

• Aboriginal Family Support Organisations

• Link2Home

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📄 7. Downloadable Resources (PDF)

• Women’s Empowerment Toolkit

• Safety Plan

• Healthy Relationship Checklist

• Red Flag Indicator List

• NSW DV Support Directory

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🌺 Closing Message

You deserve safety.
You deserve clarity.
You deserve to feel supported.
And you deserve a life that feels like it belongs to you again.

You are not alone.
Support is here — gently, without judgment, and whenever you need it.

Some personal reflection resources are available to women who are part of the Kohi Black community through the Kohi Black app. These materials are designed for independent reading and personal reflection only and are separate from Kohi Black’s organisational wellbeing resources.