Have you ever wanted to know more about how movements in our Pacific region are working to prevent violence against women in their own countries and beyond? Interested in making connections between violence prevention in Australia and work being done internationally? The AWAVA/Our Watch conference, Prevalent & Preventable (19-22 September, Adelaide), includes a stream dedicated to learning from prevention work in our region, focusing on low-resourced settings and translating international ideas into local spaces. With support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, our partner organisation International Women’s Development Agency has assembled a fantastic range of speakers including Merelyn Tahi (Vanuatu Women’s Centre), Tupou Vere (House of Sarah, Fiji), Juliet Hunt (Plan International), Doris Puiahi (Oxfam Safe Families, Solomon Islands), Jacqui Joseph (Equal Playing Field, PNG), Anu Mundkur (Australian Civil Society Coalition for Women, Peace and Security), and Alison Aggarwal (Australian Human Rights Commission). For the full program, and to register to attend, visit our website!
Around the Country
- In New South Wales, a proposal to convert communal refuges into clusters of self-contained units where women survivors and their children can rebuild their lives has received an offer by Guy and Jules Sebastian’s charitable foundation to renovate rooms.
- Jane Gilmore has examined the media’s irresponsible use of headlines that implicitly blame victims and trivialize the rape and murder of women and children.
- In Gympie, the “Coffee with a Cop” event has been launched at the D’café, where law enforcers share coffee in cups printed with messages about domestic violence.
- In Victoria, the Minister from Women and the Prevention of Family Violence Fiona Richardson has called for a change in community attitudes about gender, in order to reduce the incidence of violence against women.
Around the World
- In Scotland, a gender equality officer and writer has won a bursary giving her the opportunity to combine her passions for writing and her activism towards ending gender violence.
- In Kenya, Kiambo women have clamoured for the creation and enforcement of stiffer penalties for perpetrators amid concerns of rising cases of gender violence committed against them.
- In Malta, the Civil Liberties Ministry has drafted a new law to improve responses to cases of violence against women, which, however, will not apply to cases already underway.
- In Sudan, UN Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, has condemned heinous acts of sexual violence committed against women and girls including those by members of the armed forces during the recent fighting.
- In Vanuatu, economically disadvantaged women who are victims of violence face the reality of not being able to access the formal justice system due to lack of available funds. To read the UN’s report on women’s and children’s access to the formal justice system in Vanuatu please follow this link.
- In Brazil, a Moroccan boxer who is scheduled for an opening fight this Saturday in the Rio Olympic has been arrested for sexually assaulting two female room cleaners at the Athlete Village.
Get involved!
- The Australian Women’s Health Network is asking for supporters to make some noise and save women’s health! Join the campaign here.
- Women’s Legal Service Victoria is holding an interactive workshop on Children and the Law on 15 September at Level 50 Bourke Place, 600 Bourke St, Melbourne. Click here to book.
- 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 University of Melbourne has created a website called ‘NotTheOnlyOne’ where women can anonymously read and share stories about experiencing family and domestic violence.
- The National Multicultural Women’s Conference will be held on 3 and 4 November 2016 in Parkroyal Parramatta, Sydney. Find out more here.
- 1800RESPECT, the National Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Counselling Service is holding a 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 and online media. The 45 minute webinar will be held on 15 September from 1pm AEST. The presenter is Karen Bentley, National Director SafetyNet Australia, WESNET. Register 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.
- The Women’s Legal Services of New South Wales Foundation invites you to a tea with Rosie Batty for the official launch of the report Sense and Sensitivity: Family Law, Family Violence and Confidentiality on Friday 19 August, 9.30 – 11am at Colin Biggers & Paisley, Sydney CBD. Click here to register.