In this double edition of the weekly round up, AWAVA brings you news of its activities around the country. On 22 October, AWAVA Chairperson and Program Manager met Ms Natasha Stott Despoja AM, Chairperson of the Foundation to Prevent Violence against women and their Children. It was a great opportunity to discuss the issue, potential collaborations, and how we can all work together to prevent and eliminate violence. On 25 October, AWAVA partnered with its sister national women’s alliance, the Equality Rights Alliance to Reclaim the Night. AWAVA and Equality Rights Alliance marched and stood in solidarity, remembering survivors and victims of sexual violence and abuse whilst reaffirming both alliances’ commitment to equality and equity for all women.
Around The Nation
- This excellent article from Natasha Stott Despoja counts the cost of violence against women in Australia
- In Victoria, new draft laws around Rape still do not hold perpetrators fully accountable
- This opinion piece looks at the neglect of sexual assault victims who have a disability
- The NSW Government has released the Exposure Draft legislation regarding the reform of the partial defence of provocation – Crimes Amendment (Provocation) Bill 2013 for comment by 14 November 2013. Kate Fitz-Gibbon has written on the issue in the Sydney Morning Herald, arguing “”changing provocation law could legitimise lethal acts of domestic violence“”.
Around the World
- This great letter titled Son, it’s OK if you don’t get laid tonight is a message from a mother to a son, spelling out what he can do to end rape culture (note: some explicit language)
- Revenge Porn and what is being done in the USA to make it illegal
- Rape Fantasy Stories are becoming more and more prominent on th self-published e-book market
- India has refused to co-sponsor a UN Resolution to end early/child marriage
- Back to Maryville USA and critics ask whether the Anonymous campaign has helped or hindered the case
- This story from Uganda looks at the links between VAW and HIV infection, and the SASA! approach
Get Involved!
Stoning and Violence Against Women
Learn more about ‘Stoning’ and what you can do to try and end this practice by clicking here
**Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of AWAVA and are included as items of interest only