As the holiday season approaches, people and organisations working to respond to, prevent, and eliminate violence against women around the world have continued their efforts. The high level of leadership and commitment within the Australian sector has in particular been on display in the last week. Each of the projects and initiatives highlighted in this round-up is the result of tireless work from people with a passion for justice and a drive for change.

This week, AWAVA also brings to you our readers, a holiday message from Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women . In the message, the Minister acknowledges the vital work of the six National Women’s Alliances and expresses her continuing belief and support for the work we do. Thank you Minister!

At the AWAVA Headquarters, we look forward to bringing you more news from the sector in the new year and hope that you all have a safe and happy holidays.

Around the Country

  • In Canberra, the ACT Government has responded to the rises in domestic violence that accompany the holidays by funding a specific holiday assistance program. The Domestic Violence Christmas Program runs until late January, and helps people to access emergency accommodation or find ways to be safe in their own home
  • Domestic Violence Services in NSW are expressing deep concern about impending cuts to local courts that will see victims having to travel long distances to access court services such as AVOs
  • In Victoria, restorative justice approaches have been discussed for possible application by the state’s legal community to certain sexual violence offences
  • The Australian Government has announced $150 000 of funding for renovations to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Sexual Assault Unit
  • AWAVA Member Organisation DV Vic has launched their new resource, thelookout.org.au, “where Victorian family violence workers and women experiencing violence can come to find information, resources and services aimed at preventing and responding to family violence “

Around the World

  • Incredibly powerful writing from Shilpa Phadke on the changing attitudes toward sexual violence and the experiences of women activists over the past year in India
  • In Papua province, Indonesia, steps are beginning to be taken to curb extremely high rates of family violence
  • Susana Polo discusses two of the latest instances of violence against women in the video game community
  • In the US, “
    [a]busers with firearms are five to eight times more likely to kill their victims than those without firearms”. A new project from University of California-Davis and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health aims to disarm those abusers
  • In Egypt, the Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim has condemned violence against women as “contrary to religion, international conventions and human rights”
  • “The NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGOGCN), a coalition of 51 NGOs that promote gender equality and equity in Malawi, has appealed to the judiciary to give sexual gender based violence cases… necessary attention and be concluded fairly”

Research Reports

  • The Report on the National Consultations for the Foundation to Prevent Violence Against Women and their Children has been published. Follow the link to read the report.
  • Women’s Health in the North (WHIN) has launched their Evaluation Report on the regional approach to preventing violence against women. The research was undertaken by Dr Deborah Western from Monash University’s Gender Leadership and Social Sustainability Research Unit.
  • In the Netherlands, police have conducted research into rising rates of domestic violence in the country.
  • The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare have released their report on Specialist homelessness services 2012-13.

Get Involved

  • The Australian Institute of Family Studies are conducting a survey to learn more about how people use the research and information their produce. Follow the link to find out more.

 

**Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of AWAVA and are included as items of interest only