The news this week in Australia has been dominated by examples of sexist behaviour and attitudes – a strong reminder that there is a way to go to address gender inequality and, ultimately, the prevention of violence against women, which is both a cause and consequence of gender and social inequalities.
Around the country
- Last week, AWAVA Advisory Group member organisation, Women’s Legal Services Australia, called for better protections for victims in family law trials to prevent cross-examination of domestic and family violence victims by their perpetrators
- Gael Jennings, former TV Science reporter, questions the Shameful silence at domestic violence; when two-thirds of women’s premature deaths are at the hands of partners and 78% of women who suffer sexual violence know the perpetrator, she asks “why is this not front and centre in the public debate?” highlighting that “no one wants to talk about a gender-power issue”
- This article reports on a 26% increase in 2011-12 in children being present in 18,000 family violence incidents in Victoria
- The Age reports that Jill Meagher’s killer was on parole for sex attacks and this article in the Drum draws the link between everyday sexism fuelling our fear of the dangerous stranger
- Following last week’s protest against performances by US Rapper Tyler-the-Creator, this podcast with one of the campaigners reports on verbal abuse directed at her whilst at his concert, (language warning) and sexist and violent responses from his fans
Around the world
- UN Special Rapporteur, Professor Rashida Manjoo, says states should be accountable for investigating and preventing violence against women
- Crying Meri (pidgin for women): Violence Against Women reports on violence in Papua New Guinea, the level of which is among the highest in the world; 70% of women in PNG will be raped or physically assaulted in their lifetime
- This ABC radio broadcast reports on the United Nations call for immediate action to protect women in PNG from the extreme violence associated with accusations of witchcraft and sorcery
- A group of regional NGOs condemned Zambia’s Minister of Defence, for suggestions that ‘beating a wife is a sign of love’ and ‘mild’ forms of violence against women are acceptable where he comes from
- The Council of the European Union is to pioneer a Europe-wide protection order for survivors of violence, particularly domestic violence, guaranteeing that victims and survivors of domestic violence can rely on restraint or protection orders issued against the perpetrator in their own country when they travel or move to another EU country
- In Essex, UK, women will be given information about violent partners’ pasts in an initiative prompted by 9 women having died in domestic violence homicides in 4 years
- In California a domestic violence victim lost her job as a teacher because of concerns about the risk posed by her violent ex-partner
- Watch this great video from We Can Stop It, a Scottish Rape Prevention Campaign
- MPs in the UK are urging for more action on FGM/C highlighting that the UK’s credibility in calling to end the practice overseas is undermined by the failure to tackle the problem at home
**Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of AWAVA and are included as items of interest only