Rosie Batty is now confirmed as a speaker at Prevalent & Preventable, the AWAVA/Our Watch international conference on preventing violence against women, 19-22 September in Adelaide. The conference will be dedicated to exploring emerging opportunities to prevent violence against women across the diversity of Australian society. Also featured: accountability as violence prevention. Come and hear Helen Dalley-Fisher from our sister Alliance Equality Rights Alliance speak on translating international frameworks into local spaces. Early bird rates close on 17 July, so register now!
Around the Country
- Sisters Inside and other advocates are calling for changes to the way domestic violence laws are enforced, arguing that too many women are being punished for acting in self-defence against violent partners.
- The Safe and Supportive School Communities (SSSC) Working Group has released STEPS – A decision-making tool for schools to select appropriate and evidence-based programs and approaches for violence prevention. AWAVA Advisory Group member Maria Delaney made a major contribution to this work. Congratulations, Maria!
- The Conversation’s FactCheck project has concluded that Professor Marcia Langton’s comments on ABC TV’s Q&A program are “broadly correct” in arguing that violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women ranged from between 34 times the national figures to up to 80 times in the worst areas.
- Journalist Leigh Sales has spoken out about the sexist abuse hurled at female journalists during the 55 day election campaign.
- Professor Linda Brennan of RMIT has said that advertising standards need to be overhauled to reflect widespread rejection of sexism, after the Advertising Standards Bureau found only three advertisements breached standards, despite hundreds of complaints about sexist and derogatory portrayals of women (among other issues).
- In Canberra at the 2016 ACT Violence Prevention Awards, the Women’s Centre for Health Matters won the Community Sector Partnership of the Year, while former Raiders captain Alan Tongue received the Education Partnership of the Year award, and Brumbies Rugby won the Sports Club Partnership of the Year award, among other awards.
Around the World
- In Washington, David Ingram writes about the groundbreaking decision of the US Supreme court extending gun bans to include reckless misdemeanor domestic violence convictions.
- In Pakistan, Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani, Chair of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) proposed a bill which states that “lightly beating” wives who are defying their husbands is accepted in Islam.
- In light of the above, Barbara Matera, Forza Italia MEP (EPP group) and vice-chair of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) committee has urged the EU to push the Pakistan government to work on social reforms that will protect women against violence.
- In Zimbabwe, Ruth Butaumocho reports on gender mainstreaming across both public and private institutions in that country.
- In the USA, Vermont college students and teachers with support from United Nations Population Fund and in collaboration with the Vermont-based Population Media Center (PMC) have launched a video game that teaches and promotes gender equality among young children.
Research and Reports
- Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) has released a research report on integrated responses to violence against women, identifying both benefits and challenges arising from interagency partnerships, collaboration and coordination.
- In South Africa, research has investigated the social barriers to effective policing of domestic violence, finding that that victims/survivors often view involving police as shameful.
Get involved
- 1800RESPECT is hosting a free webinar to give front-line 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. The 45 minute webinar will be held on Thursday 15 September at 1pm AEST. The presenter is Karen Bentley, National Director of SafetyNet Australia, WESNET. Click here to register!
- 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.
* Due to staff leave, no Round-up will be published next week. Weekly Round-ups will resume in in the week beginning 18 July.