Lateral Violence

 In 2019, NSW Health asked the Sax Institute to conduct a rapid review on Lateral Violence. Peter Lewis and Richard Frankland on behalf of the Sax institute delivered "Evidence Check Lateral Violence: Report" [April 2019].

 A summary of the three core questions and their findings is below. 

What is lateral violence?

When oppression is experienced, in this context through colonial processes, it can be internalised within the group of affected peoples (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this case) and appear as harmful behaviours between group members. The behaviours of lateral violence can look like: gossip, exclusion and bullying, to undermine, hurt or cause social, emotional or cultural harm to another person, usually as an attempt to regain 'lost power' in the colonial system, such an example might be someone going out in community telling stories about an individual and denying their Aboriginality. You may be interested in reading more details as published by the Australian Human Rights Commission.

How does lateral violence affect the NSW Aboriginal health workforce?

Psychological and physical symptoms of bullying and harassment are consistent in cases of lateral violence, which extend to causing harmful effects in the workplace on performance. The cultural impacts of lateral violence are harder for non-Aboriginal people to unpick, but are indicative of the significant harm felt by the person being targeted. The cultural impacts on individual's may include:  identity confusion, identity disassociation, or exclusion.

Deep impacts on individuals may be expressed through self-medicating with drugs or alcohol, or in violent or argumentative behaviours either at home, in the community or in the workplace.

How can lateral violence be addressed by NSW Health?

• Raise awareness.
• Create or include lateral violence information in policies and processes.
• Engage in wellbeing programs in the pursuit of healing to directly address lateral violence and its impacts.

In short, NSW Health must: 

• become more culturally competent in its understanding of the issues affecting the broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and
• engage in programs which develop the cultural safety of its services and its workforce to address the work health and safety factors affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff members (Our Aboriginal Program; SafeWork NSW, undated).