Welcome to the latest edition of the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up. This week we feature articles and links that document a wide variety of gender-based violence, and an even wider variety of actions being taken to help prevent and eliminate violence against women. Through collaboration and true commitment, we can continue to build on the progress being made by passionate people around Australia and the world.
Around the Country
- The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has asked for an additional two years in order to adequately hear all cases
- The Australian Women Educators biennial conference, this year entitled Reclaiming Feminism: EnGendering Change, will be held on 3-4 October 2014. Submissions for presentations, workshops and roundtables close July 11
- Fiona Guthrie is speaking out about her experience of sexual violence as a woman with disability in the hope of helping other women in similar situations
- Monica Dux writes on the disapproval many women feel when walking alone
- In Lismore, the only women’s refuge in the area may close by the end of the month
- AFL player Majak Daw has been charged with three counts of sexual assault
- Anti-abuse campaigners have warned that the recent increase in reports of indecent and sexual assault are only ‘the tip of the iceberg’
Around the World
- In the United States, Lisa Sendrow, the woman initially targeted by George Will in his column dismissing sexual assault on university campuses, has spoken about her experiences
- In Turkey, 114 women have been killed by male partners, ex-partners or relatives in the last five months
- After the conviction of Rolf Harris in the UK, the need for robust support for victims and survivors has been highlighted
- In New Zealand, a Malaysian official has used diplomatic immunity to leave the country after being charges with sexual assault
- In India, MP Tapas Pal is being called on to resign following a threat of rape he made against the families of his political opponents
- In South Sudan, actions to address gender-based violence are helping women to feel safer within refugee camps [TRIGGER WARNING: descriptions of sexual violence, military violence]
Research and Reports
- The Right to Refuse report has now been released as a result of The Right to Refuse forum held by DVVic, Good Shepherd Youth & Family Service and Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand in September 2013. A fact sheet has also been produced entitled The Right to Refuse: Examining Forced Marriage in Australia
- The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Interim Report is now available
- Submissions remain open for funding from the newly established Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety to conduct research into stemming rates of violence against women
**Articles published do not necessarily reflect the view of AWAVA and are included as items of interest only.