A new culturally informed handbook designed to help South Asian women and families recognise and respond to domestic and family violence has been launched in Canberra, expanding a grassroots effort to improve safety, connection and cultural understanding within the community.
My Journey to the Light Within, created by South Asian women’s association Sakhi Inc, blends storytelling, original artwork and cultural reflections to guide families through complex relationship dynamics. Enabled by the ACT Women’s Safety Grant 2025, the handbook was developed specifically for South Asian women facing or at risk of domestic violence.
The handbook was officially launched on 20 November 2025, with Minister for Women and Minister for Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Dr Marisa Paterson MLA attending as chief guest.
Sakhi Inc founder and haematologist Dr Dipti Talaulikar said she established the platform as a “safe space for women to connect and support each other — to have difficult conversations, and replace the social connections often left behind during the migration process”.
“We use educational initiatives, social and cultural connection programs, and peer training to empower women to focus on their own and each other’s safety, health and financial independence.”
Dr Talaulikar, an academic with nearly 100 research publications, said the handbook became one of the most meaningful projects of her career. “It is a compassionate, culturally grounded resource developed for South Asian women. It reflects the resilience of women who navigate domestic and family violence in cultures where speaking up can feel impossible.”
The handbook was shaped through extensive community engagement. Sakhi Inc conducted surveys not only on content but on how the book should look and feel. A major focus group at ANU in July brought together partners and community members, including academics, GPs, the Australian Federal Police, domestic violence specialists, LegalAid, the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre, and Mental Illness Education ACT — with crucial male voices also participating.
Over several months, the team combined this work with creative initiatives. Dr Talaulikar said. :
“The book is underpinned by storytelling — a fictional story of a woman recognising and acting on her situation. This is not easy, and we have tried to capture that struggle through conversations with women with lived experiences.”
It includes mindfulness activities, cultural context, and familiar phrases that often define expectations placed on South Asian women — phrases she says “are no longer true in the 21st century”.
Sakhi Inc also ran a community art project, with all artwork in the handbook painted by South Asian women. The pieces were exhibited and auctioned as part of the launch event.
Minister for Women Katy Gallagher praised the project, calling it a vital contribution to community safety. “This remarkable achievement is a testament to the dedication and commitment that defines Sakhi Inc and its work,” she said. “This culturally informed handbook is a powerful and timely resource for South Asian women in the ACT who are experiencing, at risk of, or recovering from domestic and family violence, as well as those supporting victim-survivors.”
“I commend your extensive engagement with ACT sector representatives and the broader community through surveys and co-design workshops. The result is a resource that is not only culturally respectful but deeply rooted in the lived realities of the women it seeks to support.”
She said Sakhi Inc’s commitment to safety, mental health and empowerment — including first responder training, social connection programs and educational initiatives — reflects “the strength and solidarity” of its network of more than 400 South Asian women and 28 trained first responders.
Sakhi Inc’s collaboration and MOU with the Indian Community Services Association (ICSA) has also allowed the group to deliver culturally appropriate DFV training and create referral pathways that bridge to government services. For migrant women hesitant to engage with official agencies, the organisation says these pathways “can mean the difference between life and death”.
Sakhi Inc says the publication is now available to families, community members and service providers, and invites clinics and organisations to request copies.
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