Domestic violence victims urged to seek help

Victims of domestic violence among Australia's multicultural communities are being urged to seek help.

Several services cater for culturally-specific counselling but according to experts, many victims still suffer in silence.

Mother-of-two Kanwaljit Kaur now lives a relatively normal life and plans to soon re-enter the workforce. But she's still haunted by years of physical and psychological domestic abuse.

"It had actually shattered me. I was a very broken person I didn't know who to turn to. I had crawled into a shell of my own," she tolD SBS.

"I wanted it all to end. It was to the point I couldn't take it any more I had started thinking about suicide".

In some ways, Ms Kaur considers herself lucky. A spate of murders in Victoria's Indian community has focused attention on domestic violence.

Last week, 23-year old Sargin Ragi was the victim of a murder suicide at the hands of her husband despite the presence of an intervention order against him.

Psychiatrist Dr Mandula O'Connor says research shows that cultures where there are male patriarchal attitudes tend to be more permissive of domestic violence.

Often women refuse to report domestic abuse fearing the "shame" it could bring to their family, she added.

"There's a lot of embarrassment so they suffer in silence. Indian women suffer in silence.

There are several services providing women with cultural-specific assistance and advice.

But Danny Blay from No-To-Violence says most awareness progams for men are in English meaning many new-arrivals miss out.

Victims of domestic violence are encouraged to call 1800-respect.

Watch the full interview with Psychiatrist Dr Mandula O'Connor