This site is being archived soon. Visit wesnet.org.au for more information.

Media Release: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – 25 November 2012

25 November has been marked by women’s and anti-violence activists as a day focussed on the elimination of violence since 1981. In 1999 the United Nations declared 25 November as International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IDEVAW). 25 November also starts 16 Days of Activism on ending violence against women and girls.

 

[box] Julie Oberin, Chair of AWAVA says:

” The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is a reminder that male violence against women is a global, national and local issue and that ending this violence is everyone’s responsibility. It is an opportunity to celebrate how far we have come, to acknowledge and reflect how far there is still to go, and to renew our efforts. Australia has an exciting opportunity with the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children to be a global leader and to really drive the long-term social change needed to address violence against women and girls.

The National Plan has a crucial focus on the importance of primary prevention and recognises gender and other social inequalities that are both a cause and consequence of violence against women and girls. We need governments, the preventing violence against women sector, schools, business, industry, media and communities to join forces and work in partnership, to learn from each other and to share good practices, knowledge and resources, alongside the lessons learnt along the way. We need a long-term, sustainable, comprehensive whole-of-government, whole-of-school, whole-of-community, cross-sector approach to achieve a real reduction in the disturbing levels of violence against women and girls.

IDEVAW, which is supported by the White Ribbon Campaign, provides the ideal opportunity for people to start conversations about how we can really make a difference and to begin to address violence against women and girls in all our communities.

If everyone works together we can end violence against women and girls”[/box]

Read AWAVA’s full media release here

Read More

Media Release: Motion Passed Calling For Employer Recognition of Domestic Violence

On Thursday 11 October, Amanda Rishworth, Federal Member for Kingston, introduced a motion calling for employer recognition of the impact of domestic violence on women’s workforce participation and economic security.  Three of the Commonwealth-funded National Women’s Alliances: Equality Rights Alliance (ERA), Australian Women Against Violence Alliance (AWAVA), and economic Security 4 Women  eS4W) issued a joint media release  in support of the motion.  Read the joint media release here

Text from Hansard:

Domestic Violence and the Workplace

Debate resumed on the motion:

That this House:

(1) notes that two thirds of Australian women who have experienced domestic violence with their current partner are in paid employment;

(2) recognises the:

(a) significant impact that domestic violence can have on the employment of women who are subjected to it, including:

(i) lost productivity as a result of anxiety and distraction in the workplace;

(ii) absenteeism due to sustaining physical and psychological injuries;

(iii) disrupted work histories as victims often frequently change jobs;

(iv) lower personal incomes and reduced hours of work; and

(v) risks to personal safety in the workplace as well as to co-workers; and

(b) positive impact of the inclusion of domestic violence clauses in contracts of employment to ensure protections for victims, including:

(i) additional paid leave to enable employees subjected to domestic violence to, for example, attend court hearings and medical appointments without exhausting other forms of personal leave;

(ii) access to flexible working arrangements where possible; and

(iii) assurance that employee details will be treated confidentially and disclosure will not lead to discriminatory treatment;

(3) acknowledges the introduction of domestic violence clauses for public sector employees in both Queensland and NSW, and congratulates organisations in the private sector that have also moved to incorporate these clauses in contracts of employment; and

(4) urges all private companies and public sectors to include domestic violence clauses in their enterprise agreements to provide victims with important protections such as access to leave in addition to existing entitlements.

Question agreed to.

Read More

Media Release: Next Steps for Addressing Violence Against Women – National Implementation Plan Released

Minister Collins today released the Federal Government’s National Implementation Plan for the First Action Plan 2010 – 2013 Building a Strong Foundation .  The first of four three-year implementation plans to deliver the 12-year National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. 

AWAVA’s Chair, Julie Oberin, commented: “We need strong leadership from federal, state and territory governments, close collaboration with the preventing violence against women sector and real drive behind the National Implementation Plan. We are pleased that ending violence against women is a key priority for the Government and to see the commitment given to sharing information and good practice, and working together across jurisdictions and sectors”

Access documents here:

National Implementation Plan

Minister Collins Media Release: Key step towards reducing violence against women

AWAVA Media Release – National Implementation Plan Published

Read More

Media Release: Stopping Violence Against Women Before It Happens: Toolkit

The National Rural Women’s Coalition (NRWC), AWAVA and  Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research (CDFVR), CQUniversity Toolkit Stopping Violence Against Women Before it Happens: A Practical Toolkit for Communities launched by Minister Julie Collins

“We need to break the silences that surround violence against women. We need men and women in our communities to have those difficult conversations and to start to redress gender and other social inequalities.  We need our communities to recognise that it’s everyone’s responsibility to address violence against women – this Toolkit is a great starting point.” – Julie Oberin, Chair of Australian Women Against Violence Alliance

 

Read Minister Collins’ Media Release and Project Partners’ Media Release

 

Click to download: Stopping Violence Against Women Before it Happens: A Practical Toolkit for Communities

Read More

Joint Media Release: International Women’s Day 2013

International Women’s Day 2013 – joint media release with Homelessness Australia, Equality Rights Alliance and WESNET.

Women more vulnerable than ever

“”The face of homelessness is increasingly that of a woman. Women are more vulnerable than ever with a greater likelihood of experiencing poverty and violence, putting their risk of homelessness at an all time high. Is this the face we want to show to the world on International Women’s Day 2013?”

Read media release here

Read More
Go to Top