Queensland government to trial a specialist domestic violence court and more* Weekly Round-Up 13 July 2015

Around the Country

• In Victoria, the government has allocated $4 million to frontline response services.
• Also in Victoria, the government will fund a new pet care program to ensure that pets are looked after when their owners are escaping family violence.
• In NSW, a recent news report has highlighted the difficulties faced by NSW refuges in catering to increasing demand for their services due to limited funding and capacity. In response to this, the government has said that it is open to increasing services.
• In Tasmania, a vigil was organised by support groups to honour the lives of women killed as a result of domestic violence.
• A new poll shows that three quarters of Australians perceive domestic violence to be a greater threat than terrorism.
• CEO of Royal Women’s Hospital, Dr Sue Matthews, has discussed the need to train health professionals to assess and respond to domestic violence. Dr Matthews also endorses Labor MP, Sharon Knight’s proposal to recruit hairdressers and bartenders in efforts to prevent family violence, backed up by research showing that women are more likely to confide in someone they trust outside their circle of family and friends.
• Research carried out by the Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre has shown that more investment is needed in men’s behaviour programs to prevent violence against women.
• Latest Crime Statistics Agency figures show that family violence order breaches have increased three fold in five years.
• The ABC has released a new addition to its series explaining how the front lines of responding to domestic violence operate. This particular section covers women’s refuges.
• SBS Living Black Radio has started a radio series to encourage dialogue about violence against Aboriginal women.
• Five women share their experiences of domestic violence in this Guardian Australia special.
  [Trigger Warning: descriptions of domestic violence]

Around the World

• In the Central African Republic, the International Organisation for Migration has received CAD 1.024 million from the Canadian Government to support efforts in reducing sexual and gender based violence.
• In France, the government is introducing a number of measures to address sexual harassment on public transport.
• In Ireland, Emma Murphy, a victim of domestic violence, uploaded a video about domestic violencewhich has gone viral on the internet and has attracted much needed attention to the issue. [Trigger Warning: descriptions of domestic violence]
• Photographer, Ann-Christine Woehrl’s recent work, In/Visible, documents the struggles and hopes of acid and fire attack victims from six countries. [Trigger Warning: Violence against women, acid and fire attacks]

Research, Resources and Reports

• Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) has recently released two knowledge papers. The Papers titled ‘What does it take? Developing informed and effective tertiary responses to violence and abuse of women and girls with disabilities in Australia’ and ‘Seeking help for domestic violence: Exploring rural women’s coping experiences’ can be found here, along with other research papers produced by the organisation.

Get Involved!

• The Women’s Legal Service Victoria is holding an interactive workshop on July 14 to improve workers’ knowledge of the Victims of Crime Assistance Act (VOCAT). Register here by July 7!
• The Northern Integrated Family Violence Services are holding a Family Violence Group Work Forum on July 20 in Bundoora, Victoria. Register here!
• Applications are open for the ‘Family Violence Has No Boundaries: Cultural Diversity and Prevention’ conference to be held in Melbourne on 24 and 25 September. Submit abstracts by emailing[email protected] by July 27. More information can be found here.
• YWCA Queensland is calling for applications for its inaugural Leadership Internship. Applications close on 31 July 2015.
• The Telematics Trust is now accepting applications for its open grant rounds. Applications close on 24 August. More information can be found here.
• Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) is currently recruiting a Research Manager. Applications close on July 16. More information on the positions can be foundhere!