Many of you will remember a few weeks ago AWAVA asking you to sign an on-line petition to strip a man of a bravery medal awarded after the Black Saturday fires – a man who was convicted of severely assaulting his partner and currently serving time in prison. This week, we are happy to share with everyone that the petition was presented with over 18000 signatures, and the award has been revoked – to read more, click here

AWAVA joined several of its Advisory Group member organisations in writing to the Attorney General advocating for the inclusion of domestic violence as a ground of discrimination in the consolidated Commonwealth Anti-Discrimination Laws.

In other news around Australia:

  • Defence Minister, Stephen Smith, has released the Executive Summary of Volume 1 of  the DLA Piper report into allegations of sexual abuse in the Defence Force
  • Geelong Football Club has been quick to taken action as one of their players is accused of assaulting a woman – read more here
  • Minister for the Status of Women, Julie Collins MP, has announced new support for women who have been affected by Family Violence on provisional partner visas
  • A new report says that Australia is leading the region in combatting human trafficking but there is still more to be done.  The UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking report from the Mission to Australia is now available

Internationally:

  • A new study in the USA showed that adult lesbian and same-sex attracted women are much more likely to report childhood and adult sexual abuse than women who identify as heterosexual
  • In Iraq, laws criminalising domestic violence and female genital mutiliation have done little to change attitudes, and prevention and education are needed for real change, according to this article by Amelie Herenstein
  • At the Rio +20 UN Women Leaders Forum, in her opening remarks Michelle Bachelet says “”we need to turn words in to action…  Action so that violence against women and girls is turned into new attitudes that promote zero tolerance for these crimes and zero impunity””

Our Thanks

A big thankyou to everyone that took time out of their busy lives to complete the CEDAW survey. We have had some excellent, thought-out and thought-provoking responses which will inform the NGO CEDAW report that we will complete and circulate for comment next month. Keep and eye out on our website for updates!

Upcoming Events

NEW!!

  • Launch of NUS Safe Events Respectful Clubs and Societies program, in Canberra 10 July  – find out more
  • National Rural Women’s Conference 2013 has a call for abstracts closing 6 July

Still Time to Register

This Month

  • WIRE Women™s Information is offering free workshops to women who have experienced financial control in a family violence situation in Preston and Stawell on 27 June.  Please note these workshops are unsuitable for women currently in crisis situations

July

  • The Association of Women Educators conference being held 3-5 July 2012 – for details and registration click here
  • The Equality Rights Alliance will be conducting FREE Federal Budget training in Alice Springs 23rd July – click  here to learn more and register now!!
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