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Weekly Round-up 9 September

In Australia, most young people receive some sex education as part of their primary and secondary schooling, yet many students report that they do not gain sufficient knowledge and that the education they receive is not valuable in helping them deal with sex and develop respectful relationships. A new report by the Young Women’s Advisory Group (YWAG) of Equality Rights Alliance has found major gaps in sex education in Australia. YWAG’s Let’s Talk project was carried out by and for young women, and surveyed over 1000 respondents with the aim of addressing the issues in sex and sexuality education in the primary and secondary schools in Australia. Register to attend the Prevalent & Preventable conference (Adelaide 19-22 September) to hear YWAG members Romy Listo and Kate Robinson talk about their work and activism!

Around the Country

The High Court of Australia has reinstated Gerard Baden-Clay’s original guilty verdict for murdering his wife, Allison, after the Court of Appeal downgraded his conviction to manslaughter.
In Queensland, five courts will have two additional duty lawyers to provide free legal services to both aggrieved people and respondents in domestic violence cases.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has launched an online resource to assist people experiencing divorce and separation manage their finances and make informed financial choices. A divorce and separation checklist as well as a stocktake calculator are available to guide users make informed decisions during this significant change in their lives.
The Victorian Medical Women’s Society (VMWS) this week held an event discussing doctors’ roles in preventing, identifying and responding to family violence, following its collaboration with the Australian Federation of Medical Women (AFMW) which led to the publication of the “Happy Healthy Women, Not Just Survivors” report in 2010.
Monash University research on the outcome of men’s behaviour change programs has found positive changes in the behaviour of perpetrators who participated in them, finding from a study of 300 participants that the number of men inflicting violence fell by half across all categories of abusive behaviour.

Around the World

In Brazil, Maria da Penha has been honoured for her contribution on the 10-year anniversary of the domestic violence law that she helped to create. Penha was left paralysed after her husband’s abuse, and went on to become a powerful advocate, now calling for activists to work harder to ensure the implementation of the law.
In Fiji, the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation has taken steps to streamline the Elimination of Violence Against Women program to intensify advocacy and awareness programs in rural communities.
In Vanuatu, French speaking women of Vanuatu, New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna have gathered to discuss issues of domestic violence during a conference of the Union des Femmes d’Oceanie (UFO), a regional organisation created to allow French speaking women to participate in the discussion of issues affecting women within their respective countries.
In Greece, increasing reports of sexual assault on children in refugee camps, where there are no educational and protection facilities or services, have caused alarm among several aid organisations including the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR).
In Canada, a woman wearing a mask and clad in pearled bridal dress has been roaming the streets of Toronto with a pen and a notepad writing messages about the trauma of domestic abuse to raise awareness and provoke public dialogue and reaction.

Research and reports

Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) has produced new guidelines for practitioners working with people who have co-occurring sexual assault trauma and alcohol and other drug use issues.
ANROWS’ summary of new research on violence against women and their children is online, including intimate partner violence and family therapy, justice for older women, family law in Australia, and a new book on domestic violence perpetrators.

Get involved!

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 21^st 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 Australia 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.

Weekly Round-up 31 August

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 21^st 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.

Weekly Round-up 26 August

Welcome to this week’s Round-Up! Women at university are pushing back against a culture that tolerates sexual violence and fails to hold perpetrators to account. Women students are widely subjected to sexual assault, harassment, and abuse, as documented by AWAVA member organisation the National University of Students Women’s Department in their recent Talk About It report. Movements against this violence are growing, with a new national prevalence survey launched this week by the Human Rights Commission and Universities Australia, and an open letter from the current University of Sydney Women’s Officer and 12 her predecessors over the past decade accusing the university administration of deliberately stalling action on sexual assault. A special session at Prevalent & Preventable (19-22 September, Adelaide) will address this topic, with speakers including Kate Jenkins (Sex Discrimination Commissioner), Heidi La Paglia (NUS Women’s Officer) and Catriona Jackson (Universities Australia). Visit our conference website to check out the full program and register!

Around the Country

In Melbourne, child sexual assault survivor advocates have condemned a judge’s comments expressing sympathy towards a man convicted of having sex with a 14-year-old girl. The judge said that the offender, a former Children’s Court guard, was “not made of steel”, while the girl had appeared “worldly”.

Former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick has carried out a six-month study on diversity and inclusion within the AFP, finding that sexual harassment within the AFP workplace is almost twice the national average. For the copy of the report click here.

Our Watch CEO Mary Barry has written about the schools online pornography case, arguing parents need to understand that abusive behaviour by boys is not inevitable and that telling girls to be more careful is not the answer.

Around the World

In Pakistan, a not-for-profit organisation, Blue Veins, in collaboration with the District Bar Association, Aurat Foundation and USAID, has conducted training to educate lawyers about gender concepts and pro-women legislation. The training was conducted to encourage Pakistani lawyers’ active participation in law making under the international treaties and conventions ratified by Pakistan.

In Bangladesh, a pilot project in partnership with UNDP Bangladesh and Korea’s Development Agency (KOICA), has found that despite the high rate of gender based violence in the country only four per cent of victims and survivors sought support from police or agencies.

In India, Bhubaneswar intellectuals, policymakers, diplomats, academics and other professionals have gathered together for a day-long workshop on ending violence against women, following the rape of Nirbhaya in 2012.

[This article contains discussions of violence that may be distressing.]

Research and reports

AWAVA’s policy brief on access to justice is now online! This brief identifies the key challenges faced by victims/survivors in obtaining legal support and redress, and brings together policy recommendations on issues including family law, online abuse and harassment, judicial training, and sexual violence within domestic violence.

The University of New South Wales has conducted a scoping study in Darwin highlighting the effects of sexual violence on employees and the workplace. The study, ‘Gendered Violence and Work’, contains 134 in-depth interviews with survivors of sexual violence in the Northern Territory, and was conducted in partnership with AWAVA member organisation Ruby Gaea Darwin Centre Against Rape, together with the Northern Territory Working Women’s Centre.

Rosie Batty has launched ‘Sense and Sensitivity’, a research report by Women’s Legal Service NSW on information-sharing and confidentiality in family law proceedings involving family violence. Among other findings, the report argues that records of therapeutic and support services provided to victims/survivors must be shielded from perpetrators.

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. To register.
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.

Access to justice for women and children living with or at risk of violence

AWAVA commits itself to supporting work that are geared towards integrating the understanding of sexual violence into domestic and family violence prevention and response, which includes access to justice. We believe that all aspects of the legal process must be accessible and responsive to the ongoing needs of women and children who have been subjected to violence.

Gender inequality and the unequal power dynamics between women and men results in women facing a range of social and economic discrimination. Women’s access to justice is impacted by gender inequality and the social and economic disadvantages experienced by women. Women have less access to information about their rights, have more difficulty obtaining legal services, and are more likely to experience financial insecurity, which impacts on their access to legal support and leads to difficulty in navigating court systems. Women living with violence often face increased social and economic marginalisation. This results in them facing additional barriers in accessing legal services, thereby restricting their ability to use the legal system to seek protection or to uphold their rights and re-establish their lives after having left a violent relationship.

While significant steps have been undertaken to improve the legal system’s responsiveness and establish stronger safeguards for women and children experiencing and at risk of experiencing violence, it still does not deal well with some aspects of violence against women and children. In many instances, women and children still face significant barriers in accessing justice, and shortcomings of the justice system often continue to fail them. As a result, they are often re-traumatised and placed at a heightened risk of further violence or death. In addition, important services that work to remove these barriers continue to be subject to funding shortages and harsh funding cuts, further limiting women’s and children’s ability to access justice and often resulting in adverse outcomes.

While this brief addresses sexual violence to some extent, it is focused predominantly on domestic and family violence and intimate partner violence. This reflects a broader imbalance in which policy-making, public debate and research are increasingly addressing domestic and family violence, while issues of sexual violence remain marginalised. We acknowledge that more work needs to be done to integrate understanding of sexual violence with wider efforts to eliminate violence against women and their children, and to raise the prominence of sexual violence within the national debate.

Download the policy brief here

Weekly Round-up 17 August

The ‘Nauru files’, a compilation of reports by guards, caseworkers and teachers as well as accounts of victims/survivors, has documented the magnitude of abuses inflicted on asylum seekers held in the Nauru detention centre, including sexual and other forms of violence against women and children.

[Warning: these files contain details that may distress readers.] Asylum seekers held in offshore detention are unable to access the services and legal assistance that people in Australia may be able to use, and are not included in framework policies like the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children. At our conference next month with Our Watch, one of the questions we will be asking is how we define violence against women, and how those definitions shape efforts to prevent violence against disenfranchised groups such as women with disability, women in prison and women in offshore detention. To contribute to this important discussion, you can attend the conference, email your thoughts to [email protected], or both!

Around the Country

An online pornography ring has been uncovered in which teen boys and young men trade sexual images of girls and women at more than 70 Australian schools, with the images organised by region so that users can view photographs of girls and women they might know in real life. [Warning: this article contains distressing material.]
The finalists in the 2016 Our Watch Awards for exemplary reporting to end violence against women have been announced. Administered by Walkley Foundation, this award recognises reporting in different media category and formats, including social media and long form journalism.
1800RESPECT is this week beginning to use its new First Response model, which is designed to respond to increased call volume. Concerns have focused on whether the triage model can appropriately deliver expert trauma counselling and avoid the need for callers to navigate an additional layer of service, while 1800RESPECT has committed to continuing a high-quality service.
On the Gold Coast, the Women’s Legal Service and the Gold Coast Community Legal Centre (GCCLC), with funding from the Federal Government, are establishing a specialised unit to address demands for legal and paralegal services from women dealing with issues of domestic and family violence.
In New South Wales, women’s advocates have proposed to set up clinics within health centres to identify and support women who may not actively seek out help to escape domestic and family violence.
In Queensland, the State’s first 24 hour sexual assault response unit has begun operating. The unit is composed of social workers and police officers trained in trauma interviewing and handling sexual crimes.
The annual report released by New South Wales Domestic Violence Death Review Team has found that the use of victim blaming language in judicial proceedings minimises perpetrator accountability for violent behaviours.

Around the World

In Peru, an unprecedented gathering of more than 50,000 people to protest against the country’s judicial system’s indifference over gender violence has taken place in the capital over the weekend.
In Pakistan, young feminist writer Fatima Munir has argued that addressing the root causes of violence against women will require more than just passing laws.
In Kathmandu, the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers have released Standard Operating Procedure 2068 on Gender Based Violence Case Management, to promote human rights and victim/survivor-centred responses to gender based violence.
In Kenya, Wanjohi Kibicho has examined the root cause of gender inequality and violence against African women, following an assault by musician Koffi Olomide, after which he was deported..

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.
The University of Melbourne has created a website called ‘NotTheOnlyOne’ where women can anonymously read and share stories about experiencing family and domestic violence.
Tickets are still 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.
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.

Weekly Round-up 10 August

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.

Weekly Round-up 5 August 2016

A detailed program for Prevalent & Preventable has been released, featuring a range of participatory, action-focused sessions. Hosted in Adelaide by AWAVA and Our Watch on 19–22 September 2016, this international conference is dedicated to exploring emerging opportunities to prevent violence against women across the diversity of Australian society and beyond. View the full preliminary program here! Newly confirmed speakers include Antoinette Braybrook (Family Violence Prevention Legal Services, as a keynote), Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, Kelly Vincent MLC (South Australia, Dignity for Disability Party), Hannah Gissane (Equality Rights Alliance), Victoria’s Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People Andrew Jackomos, researcher and community worker Michael Flood, and many more fantastic presenters. Early bird registrations have been extended until the end of Monday 8 August, so register now!

Around the Country

In Western Australia, a report by WA Police to Parliament has shown that the number of family and domestic violence murders has doubled since last year.
Victorian Greens MP Nina Springle has argued that other states should follow Queensland in legislating to stop companies like Wicked Campers from using slogans promoting violence and bigotry.
In Victoria, outraged by the ABC’s Four Corners program exposing the abuse of boys in Don Dale Youth Detention Centre, four women locked themselves in a makeshift metal cage as part of a protestoutside Flinders Street Station.
[This article contains discussions of violence that may be distressing.]
Executive Style editorial writer Phil Barker has written an article, ‘Want some “blokes advice”? Stop hating women’, in response to a Facebook page promoting violence against women. [This article contains discussions of violence that may be distressing.]
Red Heart Campaign founder Sherele Moody has received death threats after she established a petition to shut down the Blokes Advice Facebook page.[This article contains discussions of violence that may be distressing.]
Myer, in partnership with the Salvation Army, has launched the Give Registry, encouraging shoppers to buy pre-selected essential items for women and children who are rebuilding their lives after domestic and family violence.

Around the World

What is next for Boko Haram survivors? In Nigeria, Christine Chung reports on the needs of women who escaped gender-based violence from the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram.
In Malawi, girls are taught self-defense skills to combat sexual abuse, including shouting or saying ‘No!’
In the US, Carrie Bettinger-Lopez and Jaimie Woo have reported on the first White House United State of Women Summit, which was attended by thousands of people who gathered to talk about the key issues affecting women and girls, including gender-based violence.
Raquel Reichard has written a special report on the staggering high rates of intimate partner violence in Bolivia and how the government of Bolivia is finding ways to curb gender violence.

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, 15 September, Level 50 Bourke Place, 600 Bourke St, Melbourne. Click here to book.
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 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.

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.

Weekly Round-up 23 July 2016

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 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 sector. Find out more here.

Weekly Round-up 10 July 2016**

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.

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