(AWAVA members with the Hon. Prime Minister and Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash at the White Ribbon Breakfast, 19 November)
Today, 25 November, is the International day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. 25 November has been marked by women’s and anti-violence activists as a day focused on the elimination of violence since 1981. 25 November also starts 16 Days of Activism on ending violence against women and girls. AWAVA is delighted to receive a message from Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women on this important day. The Minister reminds us that “violence and sexual assault against women is totally unacceptable. Sadly, statistics tell us that one in three Australian women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15, and almost one in five have experienced sexual violence. The Coalition Government understands that in order to prevent violence against women and their children, attitudes around gender equality and violence need to change”. AWAVA Thanks the Minister for her vision, leadership, and commitment to responding to and preventing violence against women and their children. Finally, AWAVA Chair, Julie Oberin writes that today is an opportunity to celebrate how far we have come, to acknowledge what else needs to be done, and to renew our efforts and reaffirm our commitment.
Around the Country
- The Alice Springs Domestic and Family Violence Outreach Service has won an Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Award for its work keeping families safe
- In NSW, The controversial foetal rights bill known as Zoe’s Law was passed in the lower house of the Parliament on 21 November, 2013
- Reforms to homicide laws in Victoria were introduced in 2005 to improve legal responses to women who kill abusive intimate partners. A new discussion paper by DVRCV and Monash University, Justice or Judgement? The impact of Victorian homicide law reforms on responses to women who kill intimate partners, examines whether the reforms are working as intended.
- “A startling snapshot of Victorian young people struggling with drug and alcohol problems has shown girls are suffering much higher rates of abuse, neglect, violence and self-harm than boys“
- In Victoria, Police is shocked by the massive rise in family violence
- Centre for Non-Violence chief executive and AWAVA Executive Committee Member, Margaret Augerinos says that the common denominator is gender equality-“Where gender inequality exists you often have violence against women and children”
- The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault has published its paper “Engaging men in sexual assault prevention“
- Tracking Equity– the report released by the COAG Reform Council reveals that despite being highly educated, women and girls are being left behind their male counterparts in the workforce in Australia
Around the World
- Sayeed Aleemullah Shah, Tari project co-ordinator for Medecins Sans Frontieres, writes that the “epidemic of family violence in PNG requires a co-ordinated response“
- UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka says that “it is a glaring omission that ending violence against women was not included in the Millennium Development Goals” and urges all UN Member States to make ending violence against women and girls a priority in the new development framework
- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says “This International Day to End Violence against Women is an opportunity for all people to recommit to preventing and halting all forms of violence against women and girls“
- In the UK, Women’s groups Imkaan and The Project are marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women with Purple Butterflies
- In the UK it is being reported that the Metropolitan Police Service is “significantly under-recording rape offences according to new evidence presented to MPs“
- Also in the UK, four groups (Co-ordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse (CAADA), Imkaan, Rape Crisis England & Wales, Respect and Women’s Aid England) have come together to create a “robust and well co-ordinated framework” to align existing service standards and accreditation frameworks and those under development
Get Involved
- Natasha Stott Despoja AM, Chair of Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children and Ken Lay, Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, will be speaking at the National Press Club of Australia on November 26th. More information and registration details can be found here
**Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of AWAVA and are included as items of interest only