Although the impact of child abuse infiltrates communities at all socio-economic and cultural levels, its prevalence in Indigenous Australian communities is of particular concern. Any level of child abuse or neglect is unacceptable in any community, and for too long a veil of silence has surrounded the extent of the problem facing Indigenous populations as a result of the false assumption that violence and abuse are different from those of non-Indigenous Australians, as are responses to the problem, perpetuating the systemic cycles of violence plaguing many Indigenous communities. In recognising this, family and child abuse must be seen within the broader context of historical and present factors, and the multitude of underlying issues that shape Indigenous experiences of abuse must be addressed in order to achieve any real outcomes in protecting Indigenous children. This paper addresses the issue of child abuse and neglect within the context of a cultural conceptualisation of the problem itself and responses to it, from the perspective of an Indigenous leader, Children’s Court Magistrate and Chair of the Gordon Inquiry.