Friday, June 15th, was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) – an issue that is becoming more wide-spread in Australia as our population ages, and which particularly affects older women. You can learn more about what elder abuse is here (which includes links to the WHO fact sheets on elder abuse) – and if you have a few minutes, watch this clip that was filmed in Melbourne at last years WEAAD event.

In other news around Australia:

Internationally:

  • A new report shows that with policies that promote gender equality and safeguards against violence and exploitation, Canada is ranked top of the G20 countries to be a woman, with India ranked last. Read the full article here
  • Sparked by the same report, read more about life for women and girls in India in this article
  • In the UK, family members of a woman who kidnapped her in an attempt to force her to marry have been convicted. This article in the Telegraph, debates the effectiveness of making Forced Marriage a crime, with fears that it may pevent vulnerable women from seeking help
  • International attention has been on a Bulgarian fashion magazine that recently published a ‘beauty spread’ with  models being depicted as strangled, mutilated and attacked – read this opinion piece by ex-model Jenna Sauers.

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Have Your Say

What do you think are the priority actions on VAW and for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Women?

We want to know your views on Australia™s performance on, and what Australia™s priorities need to be on these two areas to feed into the NGOs’ report for CEDAW.  Tell us your views by accessing the survey here before 20 June 2012.  Just a few days left!

Read more here

Position Vacant

  • A fixed-term Parental Leave position as Prevention of Violence Against Women Project Coordinator has become available, with the Mt Alexander Shire in Victoria. Please note, applications close 22 June. For more information call Glenn Menner, Manager Community Development on (03) 5471 1818 or see job description here

Resources

New Resource!!

The Central Queensland Family Law Pathway Network has released this guide to online Family Law system resources

Upcoming Events and Training

NEW!!

  • The Equality Rights Alliance will be conducting FREE Federal Budget training in Alice Springs – click  here to learn more and register now!!

Still Time to Register

This Month

  • Sowing the Seeds of Change forum to raise awareness of the effects of family violence on women with disabilities organized by women with disabilities, on 19 June  in Victoria
  • WIRE Women™s Information is offering free workshops to women who have experienced financial control in a family violence situation in June.  Please note these workshops are unsuitable for women currently in crisis situations
  • Michael Flood will assess debates over men’s and women’s experiences of domestic violence at a free seminar He Hits, She Hits in QLD on 22 June  – this talk will also be available via video-link to a number of sites around Australia. Click here for more information and to register

July

  • The Association of Women Educators conference being held 3-5 July 2012 – for details and registration click here
August

Later 

  • Take action on Peace Day 21 September, and become part of the largest gathering of people in the name of Peace and non violence. Watch the youtube clip here
  • The No To Violence conference in November 2012
  • The 7th Womens Health Conference will be held in Sydney in 2013
  • Australian Women’s Coalition is calling young women between 18 – 30 years who live, study or work in Auburn, Bankstown, Liverpool or Coffs Harbour NSW, or in Canberra, ACT to be a part of SHOUT!  A series of three free workshops will run in each location, complemented by an online network of support and skills-sharing and a local network of participants and AWC member organisations. The workshops will culminate in community events on Harmony Day next year, 21 March 2013. Find out more here