Prevalent and Preventable is an international conference dedicated to exploring emerging opportunities to prevent violence against women across the diversity of Australian society (Adelaide, 19-22 September), co-hosted by AWAVA and Our Watch. Early bird rates have been extended to 29 July, so register now! Two of the great speakers confirmed for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stream are Dixie Link-Gordon and Ashlee Donohue, who co-founded Hey Sis, We’ve Got Your Back! Hey Sis is a network of Aboriginal women from all parts of New South Wales, who are committed to working to prevent sexual assault in their communities. Hey Sis aims to let anyone who stands up against sexual assault know that “Sis, we’ve got your back!” To learn more about Dixie and Ashlee, check out their profiles on Positively Remarkable People, an online project about people who are working to prevent violence against women.
Around the Country
- Broadcaster Steve Price has been challenged over his sexist comments following an appearance on ABC’s Q& A program, in which he called the Guardian columnist, playwright and novelist Van Badham “hysterical” during a heated exchange when she spoke about issues of domestic violence.
- In Brisbane, Ellen-Maree Elliot reports about the need for domestic violence services in Wynnum.
- Paul McLoughlin, writes about the dilemma faced by journalists who report about domestic violence within the Australian rural setting and their need to keep the balance between their ethical responsibilities to report crimes of domestic violence and their wish to maintain relationships with members of the communities where they work and belong.
Around the World
- Oscar Pistorius case: a case of gender based violence or not? A coalition of 36 organisations advocating to end gender-based violence in South Africa, which initiated the Stop Gender Violence Campaign, question judge’s Thokozile Masipa’s refusal to see the murder of Reeva Steenkamp by boyfriend and former Olympian Oscar Pistorius as a case of gender violence.
- In Malawi, Martin Chiwanda reports on the Friends of Aids Support Trust (FAST) campaign in the district of Nsanje to mobilize men to take a lead role in the struggle against gender based violence and HIV transmission.
- In Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has committed to reviewing the Offences Against the Person Act, the Sexual Offences Act, the Domestic Violence Act and The Child Care and Protection Act as the country mourns for the murder of a three-year-old girl in St Ann.
- The United Nations has backed End Violence Against Children – The Global Partnership, an organisation working towards bringing together governments, foundations, academia, the private sector, and civil society including young people all over the world to end violence by 2030 as part of theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- In Canada, Jeff Labine reports on the strategy that Patty Hadju, Federal Minister of the Status of Women is looking to create to end gender based violence amid the increasing rate of violence faced by Canadian women and young girls.
- A United Nations committee has reviewed Turkey’s performance in implementing the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), questioning salient issues such as child brides, femicides, girls’ education, equal pay, and abortions as well as Turkish women’s representations in politics.
- In Ukraine, activist Anastasiya Melnychencko started a Facebook campaign with the hashtag #IamNotAfraidToSpeak documenting sexual assaults she has suffered, as a response to an online discussion blaming a rape victim as provoking her attacker.
Research and Reports
Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) data reveal that more than third of sexual violence crimes are link to domestic and gender based violence.
Get Involved
- 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 for the Women’s Legal Services NSW Bright Spark Award 2016 is closing on Friday, 22nd of July! 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 now!
- 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. Register here.
- Sisters Inside Inc. will be holding an art exhibition showcasing the works of Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Artist Group on the 3rd of August, 2016, from 6 to 8 pm at the Jagera Arts Centre in South Brisbane. For inquiries click here.
- Nominations for the 4th Annual Women’s Agenda leadership Awards are now open! Nominate an emerging woman leader in the private, government and public, non for profit, legal, business sector. Find out more here.