A growing international evidence base shows that violence against women increases during emergencies and humanitarian disasters. In Australia, new research on women’s experiences of domestic violence after a catastrophic disaster has found that there was a rise in domestic violence following the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria in 2009. Particularly disturbing is the finding that women subjected to increased male violence were silenced into supporting men who had suffered as a result of the fires. A session at the upcoming Prevalent & Preventable conference co-hosted by AWAVA and Our Watch will examine the importance of violence against women prevention strategies within disaster preparedness and crisis response planning. The session speakers from Australia and across the Asia-Pacific include Merelyn Tahi (Vanuatu Women’s Centre), Dr Meagan Tyler (RMIT) and Michelle Higelin (ActionAid). To see the latest program and register for the conference, click here!
Around the Country
- Attorney-General George Brandis has launched the National Domestic and Family Violence Bench Book, which is intended to promote best practices among judges and magistrates and enable them to recognise emotional forms of abuse committed against women. The Bench Book is available to view online here.
- Students in Canberra have called for more action to prevent and respond to sexual assaults within universities, as the first nationwide survey on the issue is launched by Universities Australia and the Human Rights Commission, supported by the National Union of Students (NUS) and the National Tertiary and Education Union (NTEU).
- The ACT Government is considering following NSW in adopting tamper-proof monitoring devices to stop domestic violence offenders getting near their victims.
- Police in Tasmania are being called to more domestic violence incidents and the Police Association believes this increase is contributing to the marked rise in assaults on officers.
- Family violence services in Melbourne’s north are calling for more resources to help respond to the “surging demand” for assistance from women facing violence. Last year the Northern Family and Domestic Violence Service received more than 10,000 police family violence referrals.
- Immigration Minster Peter Dutton plans to introduce a Bill into Parliament which would stop people from sponsoring a spouse to settle in Australia if the potential sponsor has a history of serious criminal conduct in an intimate relationship. While migrant women’s advocates have long called for attention to this issue, some have raised concerns about aspects of the proposed legislation.
Around the World
- In China, penalties for domestic violence are often reduced due to a legal system that perceives domestic violence as a lesser crime or not a regular act of violence. [This article contains discussions of violence that may be distressing.]
- Two African women, Liberian activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Roberta Gbowee and Kenyan businesswoman Tabitha Mukami Muigai Karanja have been honoured for their political and economic contributions in their respective countries and worldwide.
- In Afghanistan, despite the end of the Taliban’s rule, Afghan women still face many forms of violence that include acid throwing, beating, stoning, informal community tribunal verdicts, burning, forced marriages and forced abortions.
- In Cambodia, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs has signed an agreement with UN Women to review the country’s current domestic violence law, which has long been criticised as inadequate and ineffective in addressing gender based violence.
Research and reports
- Statistics on police responses to domestic violence matters across Australia show that police deal with domestic violence on average once every two minutes, or 5,000 times every week.
Get involved!
- The United Nations Association of Australia will hold a consultative forum on the Economic Empowerment of Women and Girls. The forum will be held in Melbourne from 5-6 September in Novotel, 270 Collins St. Melbourne. Click here to register.
- The School of Sciences and Psychology of Western Sydney University is holding a Symposium on Older Women and Violence: Innovative Policies, Programs and Practices to be held Wednesday 21st September 2016 at Western Sydney University, Parramatta South Campus, Building EE, Ground Floor, Rooms 02 and 36 – Corner James Ruse Drive & Victoria Road, Parramatta, from 9am to 4pm. Register here.
- Lucy’s Project is hosting the second annual conference on Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse-International Perspective to be held from 5-6 November at the Portside Conference Centre, level 5 Symantec House, 207 Kent St., Sydney. Book here.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.