The Australasian Council of Women and Policing would like to invite you to the 8th Australasian Women and Policing Conference which is being held in Adelaide from 25 to 28 August 2013.

The theme of the 2013 conference is: Making it Happen – Making it Last. It will focus on how we can make lasting changes for women in policing, emergency services and the community and will hear from practitioners, researchers, and policy makers. The conference will build on previous Australasian Women and Policing conferences and develop the body of knowledge around how policing and the emergency services are being improved for women.

Women’s organisations working with police to respond to and eliminate violence against women are particularly welcome to participate in the conference. The Council is keen to improve how policing connects with women’s organisations, especially those which provide emergency responses to women and our conferences are a valuable opportunity to do that – in a friendly feminist atmosphere.

The areas of interest for the 2013 conference include:

  • Networking – best practice and good ideas
  • Sustainable partnerships – working with local government, women and the community
  • Peacekeeping – domestic and international
  • Recruitment and retention – challenges and opportunities
  • Staying healthy – supporting yourself to support your community
  • Career transitions – moving up, across or out
  • Policing as a profession –  the contribution of women

Police, emergency services, researchers, advocates, policy makers and practitioners from policing, emergency services, law enforcement, criminal justice and women’s services are encouraged to contribute papers. This conference is not limited to police services, everyone who has an interest in improving the emergency and policing response to women in our communities is welcome. So please feel free to circulate this invitation to your networks.

To register for the conference go to www.acwap.com.au.

There is still time for you to indicate your interest to present a paper at the conference: the call for papers closes on 25 March. So if you are interested in sharing developments, innovation, or research please send your 100 word abstracts and 100 word biography to conference@acwap.com.au by 25 March 2013. Submissions can be for papers in the concurrent sessions (20-25 minutes each), workshops/panels (90 minutes) or poster papers. The abstract submission form is available on the ACWAP website www.acwap.com.au or conference@acwap.com.au.

Nominations are also open for the 2013 Excellence in Policing Awards. As you would know, the Awards are an opportunity to acknowledge the achievements of the women and men who are making a real difference to policing for women. Nomination forms and more information about the Awards are available from the ACWAP website www.acwap.com.au. A ticket for the Awards Presentation dinner on Tuesday 27 August 2013 in Adelaide is included in the conference registration – additional tickets for friends and family can also be purchased.