Last week AWAVA was excited to attend the formal launch of the Stopping Violence Against Women Before It Starts: A Practical Toolkit for Communities by Minister Julie Collins at the Country Women™s Association of Australia National Conference, in Hobart. The Toolkit was featured on ABC news.
The 15 easy-to-understand Toolkit factsheets support the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Their Children and explains the concept of primary prevention of violence against women, setting the focus on the community as the driving force for changing societal attitudes.
Click to download the Toolkit from the National Rural Women’s Network or order a hard copy for $35. Find out more information on the development of the Toolkit here.
Read more in Minister Collins’ media release and the Project Partners’ media release.
Around the Nation
- In NSW, after a year long inquiry, there are calls for the State Government to increase police and court powers for domestic and family violence crimes. The report highlights the need for leadership, strategies to address violence against Aboriginal women and the need for significant funds to effect real change. You can read the ABC’s report here
- Still in NSW, family members of a woman killed by her husband who claimed “”provocation”” as a defence, have appealed to a Parliamentary Inquiry to change the “”provocation defence”” law
- There are calls on the Victorian Government to make ending domestic violence a priority
- AWAVA and NATSIWA’s NGOs’ Follow-up Report to the Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was featured in an article in Bendigo’s (VIC) local media
- Wyndham City, Victoria, has adopted a new Gender Equitable, Safe and Inclusive Communities action plan as part of their Preventing Violence Against Women in Our Community pilot, which seeks to promote a whole of community approach to preventing violence against women and encourage gender equity
- The National Union of Students have launched a video as part of their In Your Own Voice campaign – (video warning: ‘language’ alert)
- White Ribbon have launched a new campaign for Fathers’ Day MANifesto for fathers against violence
- and finally, read Minister Julie Collins’ recent media release concerning cuts to services, including domestic violence services, in Queensland
Around the World
Last week we shared with you the disturbing comments from high-profile males worldwide about their ‘interpretation’ of rape; this week we share the “”Renegade Raging Grannies”” video, a musical response to Todd Akin’s statement about ‘legitimate’ rape (video warning: the Raging Grannies use some very colourful language towards the end!)
- Nairobi has hosted a meeting of social activists and entrepeneurs from 18 African countries focussed on ending gender-based violence
- New research in the UK has found that GPs receive minimal training in supporting domestic violence victims/survivors
- Watch this video on the steps being taken to end violence against women in PNG
Reports and Resources
New Reports!!
- Forgotten Sisters- A Report on Violence Against Women with Disabilities: An Overview of its Nature, Scope, Causes and Consequences from the Northeastern University School of Law, USA, is now available
- Male and female assault offending in Australia looks at the rates of male and female assaults in Australia, particularly in light of recent media reports focussing on the rise of females involved in assault cases
- “”Leadership to address domestic violence must be driven from highest levels to bring about the change that is so necessary”” and œThis policy area (DV) deserves no less than the leadership of the Premier”” says the NSW Legistlative Council report
Upcoming Events
NEW!!
- The Grey Man Fundraiser will be held this week, 5 September – learn more about the Grey Man organisation work to stop human trafficking here
- A FREE Workshop on responding to Older people at risk of family violence will be held 24 September in Victoria – click here for more details
- Everyone™s Business: developing workplace programs for the primary prevention of violence against women will be held 2 October, register on-line now
September
- See the change in date for the Red Cross Trafficking Training in Sydney now 11 September – click here to find out more
- The Participatory Justice and Victims Conference will be held in Canberra, 17-18 September
- The Southern Regional Alliance conference is now open for registrations and will be held 20-21 September
- 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
- Standing firm for change: a journey to justice is a national conference run by the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service Victoria. The conference will be held on 21-23 November 2012, in Melbourne. Registration is open until 30 September
- Women’s Legal Services NSW will hold its 30th Birthday Celebration Gala Dinner on 26 September
November
- The No To Violence conference is in November 2012
- Law Enforcement and Public Health Conference in Melbourne, November 2012
- The First National Sexual and Reproductive Health Conference will be held 20-21 November
Later
- 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
Internationally:
- The FREDA Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children (School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University), in partnership with the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia (EVA BC), the Canadian Observatory on the Justice System™s Response to Intimate Partner Violence, and the BC Society of Transition Houses, invites you to join the 2012 National Research Day conference, held 7-9 November in Vancouver