Following incidents of sexual assault in Australia’s offshore detention centres, leaders such as Rosie Batty have called on the government to end offshore detention, stating that detention centres are “by their very design, unsafe and dangerous places.” AWAVA has joined the large and growing number of people requesting that the government take urgent action. Read our media release on the issue here.
Around the Country
- In Queensland, child protection services are urging the federal government to pay much needed attention to violence against children.
- Also in Queensland, school principals have said that they would like to be notified when a parent is given a domestic violence order so that they can better assist students.
- In the ACT, ACT Policing has announced two new dedicated family violence teams.
- In Victoria, crime statistics show that reports of domestic violence have increased by 8.8 per cent in the last financial year.
- In NSW, advocates are concerned that no extra funding has been allocated to address increasing demand for support in NSW courts.
- In Orange, NSW, domestic violence services have called for the establishment of a women’s refuge to respond to high rates of domestic violence.
- Psychology PhD candidates from the University of Sydney, Stefano Verrelli and Eileen Chu, have written about masculinity and domestic violence for The Conversation.
Around the World
- In the Bahamas, the National Task Force on Gender-Based Violence revealed their National Strategic Plan last week.
- In Chennai, India, a community policing initiative has been launched to prevent sexual harassment and gender based violence in public spaces.
- The World Bank has called for changes in laws that restrict women’s economic opportunities and hinder participation in business.
Research, Resources and Reports
- Women’s Services Network, Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria and Women’s Legal Services NSW have released a report titled, ‘ReCharge: Women’s Technology Safety’.
Get Involved!
- The Australian Women Against Violence Alliance, in conjunction with Our Watch, supported by Women’s Services Network, invite you to attend an international conference on violence against women. The conference will be held from 19-22 September 2016. More information here!
- True Relationships and Reproductive Health in partnership with the Australia Forum on Sexuality, Education and Health (AFSEH) are calling for speakers who are willing to share their contemporary approaches to relationships and sexuality education in a teacher led forum to be held in February 2016. Apply by 14 October!
- The Canberra Community Sleepout will be held on 16 October 2015. Find out here how you can get involved and help raise awareness about homelessness in Canberra!
- Women’s Legal Service Victoria is holding an interactive workshop to assist support workers better understand the Family Violence Protection Act on 20 October in Melbourne. Register here.
- The 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters will be held in The Hague from 3 to 6 November 2015. More information here!
- Lucy’s Project is hosting a conference on domestic violence and animal abuse from 6 – 8 November 2015, in Byron Bay. More information here!
- Economic Security For Women (es4w) is conducting an online survey on women’s views on their economic empowerment; their ability to cope with changing conditions in the economy; their participation in paid work and their income in later life into retirement. Complete the survey here.
- Australia’s National Research Organisation on Women’s Safety (ANROWS) is hiring a Principal Project Officer (Action Research). More information here! Applications close on 13 October.