Welcome to the latest edition of the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up. This week, we highlight the many responses to violence against women that come from our communities: both everyday individuals and people in positions of power. It is vital that we acknowledge the inspiring progress made by those who work tirelessly to address violence against women. However, we must also continue to expect more from those who, through inaction or participation, contribute to cycles of violence. Gender-based violence is both a consequence and a cause of gender inequality. We must address this violence, along with the other factors that prevent women and girls from participating equally in society, in order to realise women’s right to feel and be safe from all forms of abuse.
Around the Country
- In NSW, the Deputy Coroner will recommend that domestic violence and abusive relationships are covered in school curricula following the investigation into the murder of Kate Malonyay [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, abuse]
- In Victoria, police have admitted to a conflict of interest in the investigation into the murder of Kelly Thompson in February this year [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, stalking]
- Lessons learnt by mental health advocacy organisation, Beyond Blue, will be applied to the problem of violence against women in a new national campaign
- Domestic Violence Victoria CEO, Fiona McCormack, has listed five ‘best practice’ actions that must be taken to address domestic violence in Australia
- Video is now available online of a talk given by United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at the ANU Gender Institute in Canberra during the lead up to the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action
- Victoria Legal Aid has reversed a decision to stop funding legal assistance for family violence victims in child custody hearings
Around the World
- In the United States, reactions to a nail polish that was developed to detect the presence of ‘date rape drugs’ have been mixed
- In Papua New Guinea, violence against women is rampant, with many police officers implicated [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of sexual violence, domestic abuse, police violence, images of torture]
- In the United States, a court has found that domestic violence may form the basis of a claim of asylum
- In the UK, a new report has revealed pervasive and unaddressed child sexual abuse in the town of Rotherham [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence against children, sexual abuse, threats] prompting Ruzwana Bashir to speak out about her own experiences
- In the United States, the NFL has responded to criticisms of its handling of violence against women perpetrated by its athletes with a new discipline policy
- Anita Sarkeesian, creator of Tropes vs Women in Video Games, has been forced to leave her house following specific violent threats made against her online [TRIGGER WARNING: Violence language, online abuse, threats]
- In South Africa, Judge Edwin Cameron has warned that lesbians are at particular risk of anti-women violence
- In the United States, the Monument Quilt, a huge red quilt covered with stories from survivors of sexual violence, is touring 12 cities across the country to raise awareness
**Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of AWAVA and are included as items of interest only