CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes will bring together leading voices and frontline workers in domestic violence this month to uncover the realities of the issue across regional, rural and remote NSW.

‘Hidden No More: shining the light on domestic violence in rural communities’ will seek to drive lasting change when it takes place at Narromine on November 28.

Its keynote speakers are The Hon. Stephen Lawrence MLC, NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Dr Hannah Tonkin, author, professor and investigative journalist Jess Hill, NSW Police Incident and Emergency Management Commander Superintendent Greg Moore, and Magistrate Aaron Tang, Local Court of New South Wales, Dubbo.

Orana and Far West had the highest rate per 100,000 population of domestic violence-related assaults in NSW in the year to June 2025, the latest update from NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) shows.

In Orana and Far West, domestic violence-related assaults have consistently occurred at more than three times the state rate per 100,000 population for at least the past two years, BOCSAR’s quarterly reports also show.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes operates across 52 per cent of NSW and is a lead domestic violence service provider in Forbes and Bourke, also managing the women’s refuges in both towns.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes CEO Anne-Marie Mioche said the extent of perpetration in regional and rural communities should not be ignored, noting that ways to address domestic and family violence in the bush differed considerably from metropolitan areas and required a specific approach.

“Levels of domestic violence continue to remain at unacceptable levels,” Ms Mioche said.

“Frontline workers are seeing firsthand what NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research reporting shows. Towns in western NSW, such as Moree and Walgett, report domestic and family violence levels over five times the state average. Women in very remote areas experience assault-related hospitalisations at 43.1 times the rate of women in major cities (AIHW, 2022–23).

“Women and children have a right to live in safety and without fear.

“Domestic violence causes deep and long-lasting emotional, social and financial effects on victim-survivors, their families and wider communities.”

Ms Mioche said the Hidden No More symposium would bring together community leaders, sector workers and advocates including Plus Communities, Bunmabunmarra, Maranguka, Western NSW Community Legal Centre and more, whose insights and experience were key to achieving effective and lasting change.

“Domestic violence is preventable and the Hidden No More symposium will bring the focus to the issue in regional and rural NSW, with a unified goal of improving the safety of women and children,” she said.

The 150+-capacity symposium, which will be MC’d by Emma Alberici, is already at full capacity, highlighting the collaborative and collegial commitment of regional frontline DFV service providers to drive meaningful, trauma- and survivor-led change.