We are excited to announce more great speakers confirmed for Prevalent & Preventable, the AWAVA/Our Watch conference on the prevention of violence against women. In the Children and Young People as Agents of Change stream, we will have Jennifer Uwineza and Andrew Taukolo from #R4Respect in Logan City, Queensland, speaking on campaigns and cultural change in the community. Also presenting will be members of the Young Women’s Advisory Group (YWAG) of our sister Alliance, Equality Rights Alliance, sharing their experiences as young people creating change. More great announcements to come soon! Registrations are open for the conference (Adelaide, 19–22 September) but the early bird rate closes on 17 July, so register now!
Around the Country
- Emily Brooks at The Huffington Post has summarised some of the major events and announcements on violence against women during the federal election campaign.
- [Repost] The National Foundation of Australian Women has produced a detailed account of policy commitments on issues relating to violence against women, as part of their 2016 election gender analysis paper. Read ‘What they are saying to women? Election 2016: polices and their impact on women’ here.
- The Victorian Women’s Trust has created a new campaign, Our Voice Their Safety, which calls on women to raise their voice to demand a safer future for women seeking asylum in Australia.
- The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) through the Local Government Preventing Violence Against Women (LG PVAW) Grants Program is inviting councils to submit applications for funding of projects towards the prevention of violence against women, which would encourage community engagement and action.
- Helena Menih, a University of New England PhD student, has shared her findings on the growing number of homeless women in the streets of Brisbane and the common thread of domestic violence she has identified.
Around the World
- The Australian Government has launched the Australian African Community Engagement Scheme in Kampala, Uganda. The program, in partnership with Action Aid, Plan Uganda and World Vision, will initiate community based projects aimed at reducing poverty.
- In the USA, North Carolina federal judge Thomas Schroeder ruled to preserve nearly $5 million the state is scheduled to receive in the coming months under the federal Violence Against Women Act, allowing funds to be provided to services including shelters and rape crisis centres.
- In Yemen, UNFPA provides women caught in war conflict with “dignity kits” containing personal hygiene items – such as sanitary towels, toothbrushes and laundry detergent – and culturally appropriate clothing, allowing women to maintain personal hygiene, particularly menstrual hygiene, giving them more freedom to move around and reduce their vulnerability to gender-based violence when they seek humanitarian aid.
- In Jamshedpur, India a one stop centre has been announced, which will cater for women subjected to violence, especially those who are victims/survivors of rape, dowry harassment, domestic violence and acid attack who needs psycho-social counselling, legal advice and case management.
Research, Reports and Resources
The National Institute of Justice in the USA has produced a fact sheet summarising a research report that examined the prevalence of violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men.
Get Involved!
- The Women’s Services Network (WESNET), AWAVA’s lead agency, is hiring! WESNET is seeking two National Technology Safety Trainers to help the SafetyNet team train frontline workers. Trainers can be based anywhere in Australia that is within a one-hour commute of a major airport. Applications close 9am (AEST) Monday 4 July 2016. Click here for more information on how to apply.
- The University of Melbourne has created a website called ‘Not The Only One’ where women can anonymously read and share stories about experiencing family and domestic violence.
- The One Woman Project is hosting ‘Brisbane’s Finest Feminists’, a conference bringing together feminists from Brisbane, Australia and beyond. The conference will be held on 30 July. More information here!
- Nominations are open for the Women’s Legal Services NSW Bright Spark Award 2016. Nominate an inspiring woman who you believe deserves recognition for outstanding community service and advocacy. Learn more about the award and nomination procedure here. Submit your nominations by Friday, 22 July.
- The 2016 Victims and Justice National Conference will be held on 8 and 9 August 2016 in Melbourne. More information here.
- Tickets are on sale for the Fearless Comedy Gala – Comedians Against Family Violence. Some of Australia’s top comedians will unite in Canberra on 18 August to make a stand against family violence in our community. All proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT. More information available here.
- The National Multicultural Women’s Conference will be held on 3 and 4 November 2016 in Parkroyal Parramatta, Sydney. Find out more here.
- The National Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Counselling Service is holding a Webinar that will give frontline workers an understanding of technology facilitated abuse and knowledge on how to support women with practical advice and tools to increase their safety when using digital technology and online media. The 45 minute webinar will be held on September 15, 2016, Thursday 01:00 PM AEST. The presenter is Karen Bentley, National Director SafetyNey Australia, WESNET. To register.