Welcome to the latest edition of the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up. This week, many of the articles we have highlighted focus on the need to change the broad attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of communities. The sexism and prejudices that lead to violence against women can be found in the way that institutions, organisations and individuals interact at all levels of society. It is the responsibility of all people and organisations to examine their own actions and beliefs and make changes to prevent and eliminate violence against women.
Around the Country
- The Federal Court has upheld a decision that awarded almost $500,000 of damages to Jemma Ewin after she experienced sexual harassment at work [TRIGGER WARNING: Description of sexual violence, harassment, assault, drugging]. This follows a decision last month in which the Court dramatically increased the level of damages awarded for sexual harassment in response to changing community standards
- Police are urging the public to take action and notify them if they hear evidence of domestic violence [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, abuse]
- Women who do not have Australian citizenship or permanent residency often find themselves without options when experiencing domestic violence
- In NSW, new research will investigate the abuse of family pets along with broader incidents of domestic violence, in the hopes of engaging vets to identify cases of violence and abuse
- The Australian Council of Trade Unions is calling for paid domestic violence leave to be extended to all workers
- In Victoria, a new centre has been opened to provide integrated support to people, both adults and children, who have experienced sexual abuse
- “Successful, career-driven women are just as likely to be victims of domestic violence”
- Participants in the Australian CEO challenge are highlighting the presence of domestic violence inworkplaces around the country
- In Victoria, Father Bob Maguire and Senior Magistrate Bob Kumar are supporting a new program tohelp young people prevent violence against women
Around the World
- In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has focused on rape culture and violence against women in his biggest speech of the year
- In Turkey, more than 5,000 women currently living in refuges or under police protection as victims of domestic violence were not permitted to vote in the recent presidential election
- In France, new legislation has been passed that lifts restrictions on abortion before 12 weeks of pregnancy
- Ambassador for Women and Girls, Natasha Stott Despoja, has spoken about the horrifying and disproportionate impact conflict in the Middle East is having on women [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, military violence, sexual violence, violence against children]
- In California in the United States, legislators are contemplating a bill that would require people to obtain affirmative consent for sexual activity
- Clementine Ford writes about the online reactions to the assault suffered by Christy Mack [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, abuse, sexual assault, images of injuries]
- In Korea, a forum is being held on wartime sexual violence against women, with a focus on the experiences of Korean and Chinese women during World War II
- In Tunisia, a new law is being drafted to consolidate actions to prevent violence against women
- In Iraq, researchers and advocates are calling for more attention to be paid to growing rates of sexual violence against women
Research, Resources and Reports
- The Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights has developed a new resource focussed on media representations of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) entitled Respectful Dialogue: A guide for responsible reporting on Female Genital Cutting
- A full version of the submission made by ANROWS (Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety) to the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee’s inquiry into domestic violence in Australia is now available online
Get Involved!
- Early bird registration rates for the Violence Prevention: It’s Everybody’s Business conference in Bendigo close 22 August
- Registration is still open for the Association of Women Educators Conference, Reclaiming Feminism: EnGendering Change on 3-4 October 2014
- JERA International is holding a Beijing +20 Caravan in Melbourne on 5 September to start a conversation about the Beijing +20 review, as well as to give organisations an opportunity to engage with the caravan concept which they can use to inform their own caravans. You can register for the event here