Welcome to the latest edition of the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up. This week, we are again dismayed by the deaths of two women in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales. In both cases a man known to the victim has been charged with the murder. This brings Australia’s violence against women death toll to 33 and highlights the need for urgent action from federal, State and Territory Governments to ensure women’s right to safety and security is upheld.
Around the Country
- In the Australian Capital Territory, a man has been arrested over the murder of 35 year old Daniela D’Addario on the New South Wales Coast last week. [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence against women, death]
- In New South Wales, a 22 year old man has been arrested after an 18 year old woman was found dead in her home in Brewarrina on Saturday afternoon. [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence against women, death]
- Employer groups have been accused of using ‘tricky legal tactics’ to avoid providing workplace protections for domestic violence leave.
- General David Morrison, has lamented the paucity of leadership within government and the corporate sector for tackling domestic violence.
- In New South Wales, whist a 14 year old girl continues to advocate for better domestic violence education in schools the Federal Government has cut funding for vital school education programs that teach students about healthy relationships and domestic abuse. [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence against women]
- In the Australian Capital Territory, The Women’s Legal Centre, that supports women experiencing domestic violence, has called for increased funding to enable the centre to respond to increasing demands on the service.
- In New South Wales, a lack of women’s shelters in Sydney’s north shore means that women are unable to access vital services. [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence against women
- In Western Australia, a new report has revealed the extent of domestic violence cases in which children are the perpetrators.
- In Queensland, an expert panel brought together by the Queensland University of Technology has addressed the need for judicial reform to tackle family violence.
- In the Australian Capital Territory, The Canberra Times Behind Closed Doors series has examined domestic violence perpetrators use of rape to control and silence their victims and has followed font line crisis workers as they support women and children experiencing domestic violence[TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence against women, domestic violence, rape]
- Australian men have been participating in the Red My Lips campaign throughout April, to bring attention to the issues of rape and domestic violence.
- In Queensland, the former partner of Cook MP Billy Gordon has denied allegations that her claims of domestic violence allegations were made for political gains.
- Journalist Van Badham has argued that we need to improve domestic violence services and responses in regional and rural communities.
Around the World
- In Pakistan, prominent human rights activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot dead in Karachi on Friday after she hosted a talk on the politics of the country’s troubled Baluchistan province. [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, murder]
- In India, actor Aamir Khan has called for a focus on redefining masculinity as the country addresses its violence against women epidemic.
- In the United States, actor and comedian Bill Cosby has been accused of sexual assault by a further three women.
- Organisations from Columbia, Syria, Nicaragua and Iraq are collaborating to develop prevention strategies to stop rape being used as a weapon of war.
- In Scotland, the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre was launched last week to ensure that women in Scotland who have or are experiencing gender based violence are able to access timely and appropriate legal advice and information.
- In Turkey, prominent women have participated in a production about violence against women.
- In China, human rights activists have cautiously welcomed a Chinese Court’s decision to grant a women who killed her husband after years of abuse a two year death sentence reprieve. Activists are hoping her sentence will now be commuted to a prison term.
Research, Reports and Resources
- JERA International has released its report Working Together for Equality: Beijing +20 Review 2014 (Australia) Report as a part of their ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the Australian Government and Civil Society commitments to the advancement of women through the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995.
Get Involved!
- 1800RESPECT are facilitating a free webinar on Improving Cross-Cultural Practice: Strategies and resources for working with women from CALD backgrounds on Thursday 30 April. Registration details are available here.
- Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety is hiring a Senior Research Officer (Project Management) and an Executive Assistant for their Sydney Office. Applications close on 7 May.
- Registrations are open for the YWCA Canberra’s She Leads Conference 2015. The conference will take place in Canberra on 19 May 2015.
- Registration remains open for the Australian PeaceWomen Awards and Women’s Power to Stop War Conference in Canberra on 28-29 May 2015 presented by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).