Weekly Round-up 27 July

Women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, women with disability and the LGBTQI community need to have a more central place in our efforts to end violence against women. The upcoming AWAVA/Our Watch conference, Prevalent & Preventable (Adelaide, 19-22 September), will explore tailored actions to address intersecting forms of inequality and oppression, in order to prevent violence. One of the great speakers who have just been confirmed for the conference is Dr Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli. Dr Pallotta-Chiarolli has gained national and international recognition as a writer, researcher, lecturer and consultant in the issues of cultural diversity, gender diversity, sexual diversity, family diversity, HIV/AIDS, and social diversity in health and education, with a specific focus on adolescence and young people. Look for regular updates about the developing conference program here! And register now – early bird rates end on Friday 29 July.

Around the Country

• The South Australian Government has released a Domestic Violence Discussion Paper, including proposals for a disclosure scheme that reveals a person’s violent history to a new partner.
• Also in South Australia, 11 State Government departments have gained accreditation as White Ribbon Workplaces, with the aim of working together to end violence against women.
• Comedian Juliet Moody, star of Canberra’s Fearless Comedy Gala, has explained the motivation behind the upcoming show and shared her past experiences of domestic abuse.
• A report from the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner has revealed that the federal government conducted more than 7400 investigations into online child sexual abuse content in the past year.
  [This links contains descriptions of abuse that are likely to be distressing. If you need or someone you know needs support, please call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.]
• Rural journalist Sherele Moody explores the answer to the outsiders’ question “why didn’t she leave?” through raw accounts by survivors on her Tumblr page, Why I Stayed, which she publishes in tandem with The Red Heart Campaign.
• A men’s Facebook group, Blokes Advice, has been condemned for its many posts promoting rape and violence against women. [This links contains descriptions of violence that may be distressing. If you need or someone you know needs support, please call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.]

Around the World

• In Vietnam, Da Nang Women’s Union in partnership with UN Women has launched the Male Advocacy Club, a year-long program engaging male advocates in ending violence against women and girls in Vietnam.
• The Pakistan government has achieved the consensus needed for a bill on honour killing to be passed by the parliament, following the murder of Qandeel Baloch.
• Also in Pakistan, the Australian High Commission and UN Women have brought together a number of prominent citizens to discuss the progress of the Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act 2016.
• In India, Hindustan Times mobile editor Yusuf Omar has introduced the innovative use of Snapchat, by which sexual assault survivors can freely tell their stories while concealing their identities.
• More than 5000 documented cases of violence against women have been reported to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).
• In Brazil, Lulu Garcia-Navarro has argued that the mere existence of laws to protect women from domestic violence is inadequate, addressing the recent murder of Alexsandra Moreira by her former husband and father of her children.
• In New York, the United Nations has announced a new e-learning program to train its uniformed and civilian personnel on standards of conduct amid allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation documented by Internal Oversight to the UN Conduct and Discipline Unit.

Research and reports

• Analysis of FBI data on mass shootings in the US as well as the recent attacks in Orlando and Nice has revealed that a correlation with histories of “intimate terrorism” or domestic violence before large-scale attacks.

Get Involved!

• The University of Melbourne has created a website called ‘NotTheOnlyOne’ 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!
• 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 3^rd of August, 2016, from 6 to 8 pm at the Jagera Arts Centre in South Brisbane. For inquiries click here.
• Nominations for the 4^th 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 sectors, and also in the category of agenda setter of the year. Find out more here.
• Executive Challenge Academy, in partnership with the Queensland Police Service and EY, invites you to the Stepping Up for DV–Leadership Challenge Workshop with Rosie Batty on 11 August at 9AM, Brisbane City QLD. For inquiries and registration click here.
• Soroptomist International is sponsoring the Rosie Batty Roadshow from 5 October to 7 November 2016, travelling from Brisbane to Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne and Adelaide. Proceeds will go to the Women’s Legal Services in each capital that Rosie will visit. To buy your tickets click here.