What makes a yarning circle different from a typical research interview?

Why does it change what we hear?

How do Indigenous research principles transform universities and policy systems?

Larissa Behrendt joins Ashlee Donohue and Jane Wangmann for a powerful conversation about yarning circles, deep listening, and what happens when Aboriginal women lead the research about their own lives.

Ashlee Donohue is the CEO of Mudgin-Gal Women's Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal led and run women's centre in Redfern, Sydney.

Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt AO is the Laureate Fellow at the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research at the University of Technology Sydney. She has a LLB and B.Juris from UNSW and a LLM and SJD from Harvard Law School.

Jane Wangmann is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Technology Sydney. Dr Jane Wangmann's research is primarily concerned with legal responses to domestic and family violence. Jane has particular expertise in understanding how law defines, understands and conceives of this harm.

These yarning circles were part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann.

Artwork by Vicki Golding.

Produced by Jane Curtis of UTS Impact Studios.

Sound engineering by John Jacobs.

Impact Studios Executive Producer is Sarah Gilbert.

Our theme music is Intertwined, written by Nardi Simpson and performed by The Stiff Gins.

What really happens inside Mudgin-Gal Women’s Centre in inner city Sydney?

Who walks through its doors? What do they find when they do?

Host Ashlee Donohue takes you on a tour: from the reception area, to the women's weaving group upstairs, and the First 1000 Days program and playgroup for new mums.

Meet the women who drop in, hear how Mudgin-Gal’s programs work day to day, and how this community organisation keeps Aboriginal women connected and supported.

Host Ashlee Donohue: current CEO of Mudgin-Gal Women's Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal led and run women's centre in Redfern, Sydney.

Selena (First 1000 Days program) and participants in the Mudgin-Gal weaving group.

These yarning circles were part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann.

Artwork by Vicki Golding.

Produced by Jane Curtis of UTS Impact Studios.

Sound engineering by John Jacobs.

Impact Studios Executive Producer is Sarah Gilbert.

Our theme music is Intertwined, written by Nardi Simpson and performed by The Stiff Gins.

What happens when Aboriginal women seek help with domestic and family violence?

How can counselling be used against you?

What happens when court or government staff make racist assumptions?

Mudgin-Gal Yarns is a 5 part series releasing weekly. It's hosted by Ashlee Donohue, a proud Dunghutti woman, born and raised in Kempsey on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia.

This is an edited version of the final, fourth yarning circle, done as part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann.

You won't hear about the violence itself.

You'll hear what happens when inner city Aboriginal women in Sydney, Australia, try and get help for themselves and their families with domestic and family violence. And our ideas on what can change.

These yarning circles took place at Mudgin-Gal Women's Place in 2023 and 2024.

Yarning Circle participants: Tanay, Stacey, Debbie, Maryanne, Selena and Donna.

Host Ashlee Donohue: current CEO of Mudgin-Gal Women's Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal led and run women's centre in Redfern, Sydney.

Jane Wangmann: Associate Professor, Faculty of Law UTS and family violence researcher

These yarning circles were part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann.

Artwork by Vicki Golding.

Mudgin-Gal Yarns is produced by Jane Curtis of UTS Impact Studios.

Sound engineering by John Jacobs.

Impact Studios Executive Producer is Sarah Gilbert.

Our theme music is Intertwined, written by Nardi Simpson and performed by The Stiff Gins.

What happens when Aboriginal women seek help with domestic and family violence?

How easy was it to get housing?

How did Corrections, who looks after prisons, work with women when perpetrators are released from jail?

What was their experience with DCJ, the NSW Department of Communities and Justice?

Mudgin-Gal Yarns is a 5 part series releasing weekly. It's hosted by Ashlee Donohue, a proud Dunghutti woman, born and raised in Kempsey on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia.

This is an edited version of two of four yarning circles, done as part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann.

You won't hear about the violence itself.

You'll hear what happens when inner city Aboriginal women in Sydney, Australia, try and get help for themselves and their families with domestic and family violence. And our ideas on what can change.

These yarning circles took place at Mudgin-Gal Women's Place in 2023 and 2024.

Yarning Circle participants: Donna, Jamie-Lee, Kowana, Selena, Stacey, Tanay and Tracy.

Host Ashlee Donohue: current CEO of Mudgin-Gal Women's Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal led and run women's centre in Redfern, Sydney.

Jane Wangmann: Associate Professor, Faculty of Law UTS and family violence researcher

These yarning circles were part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann.

Artwork by Vicki Golding.

Mudgin-Gal Yarns is produced by Jane Curtis of UTS Impact Studios.

Sound engineering by John Jacobs.

Impact Studios Executive Producer is Sarah Gilbert.

Our theme music is Intertwined, written by Nardi Simpson and performed by The Stiff Gins.

What happens when Aboriginal women seek help with domestic and family violence?

When an Aboriginal woman phones for help or walks into a police station, how do police respond?

What's the role of DCJ, the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, when family violence is reported by a mum?

What does healing mean for Aboriginal women?

Mudgin-Gal Yarns is a 5 part series releasing weekly. It's hosted by Ashlee Donohue, a proud Dunghutti woman, born and raised in Kempsey on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia.

This is an edited version of the one of four yarning circles, done as part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann. You won't hear about the violence itself.

You'll hear what happens when inner city Aboriginal women in Sydney, Australia, try and get help for themselves and their families with domestic and family violence. And our ideas on what can change.

These yarning circles took place at Mudgin-Gal Women's Place in 2023 and 2024.

Yarning Circle participants: Donna, Jamie-Lee, Kowana, Selena, Stacey, Tanay and Tracy.

Host Ashlee Donohue: current CEO of Mudgin-Gal Women's Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal led and run women's centre in Redfern, Sydney.

Jane Wangmann: Associate Professor, Faculty of Law UTS and family violence researcher

These yarning circles were part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann.

Artwork by Vicki Golding.

Mudgin-Gal Yarns is produced by Jane Curtis of UTS Impact Studios.

Sound engineering by John Jacobs.

Impact Studios Executive Producer is Sarah Gilbert.

Our theme music is Intertwined, written by Nardi Simpson and performed by The Stiff Gins.

In Australia, there's a long history of making policy that affects Aboriginal people without involving us or really listening to our voices.

In this 5 part podcast series, a group of inner city Aboriginal women yarn about domestic and family violence.

You won't hear about the violence itself. You'll hear what happens when our women try and get help for themselves and their families.

• Who do we turn to?
• What works?
• What fails us and why?
• What do us inner city Aboriginal women think could work better?  

Host Ashlee Donohue is a proud Dunghutti woman, born and raised in Kempsey on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia.

Ashlee is the current CEO of Mudgin-Gal Women's Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal led and run women's centre in Redfern, Sydney.

You'll hear the voices of inner city Aboriginal women in Sydney, between 18 and 65, who shared their stories over four yarning circles: Debbie, Donna, Jamie-Lee, Jess, Kowana, Lucy, Selena, Stacey, Tahlia, Tanay and Tracy.

There were other women who generously shared their stories in the yarning circles and chose not to be in the podcast.

These yarning circles took place at Mudgin-Gal Women's Place in 2023 and 2024.

As well as host Ashlee Donohue, you'll hear Jane Wangmann, family violence researcher and Law professor at the University of Technology Sydney.

These yarning circles were part of social impact research by Ashley Donohue and Jane Wangmann.

Artwork by Vicki Golding.

The podcast is produced by Jane Curtis of UTS Impact Studios.

Impact Studios Executive Producer is Sarah Gilbert.

Our theme music is Intertwined, written by Nardi Simpson and performed by The Stiff Gins.