AWAVA Secretariat, Author at AWAVA

International Women’s Day Breakfast: Perth

“Join: Ethel Falu Sigimanu, Carmen Lawrence and Yassmin Abdel-Mageid to celebrate IWD – Let’s not wait another 20 years to achieve gender equality.

When: Thursday 5 March

Time: 7am – 9am

Where: Perth Convention Centre”

For more information, visit: https://unwomen.org.au/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=177

International Women’s Day Breakfast: Brisbane

“Join: Irene M Santiago, Ethel Falu Sigimanu, and Yassmin Abdel-Mageid to celebrate IWD – Let’s not wait another 20 years to achieve gender equality.

When: Wednesday 4th March

Time: 7am – 9am

Where: Brisbane Convention Centre”

For more information, visit: https://unwomen.org.au/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=175

Weekly Round-Up * 3 March

Welcome to the latest edition of the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up. This week, we have highlighted a number of links dealing with research into violence against women. With the 59^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) and International Women’s Day both fast approaching, the enormous expertise of our sector is on show. Sharing our knowledge and wisdom is the first step to taking effective action and eliminating men’s violence against women around the world.

Around the Country

The Queensland Domestic Violence Taskforce has released its report, Not Now, Not Ever
Researchers have called for more consistent performance or success indicators to measure the effectiveness of our responses to domestic violence
The Australian Human Rights Commission has welcomed the Government’s recent changes to workplace gender reporting
Researchers and service providers have agreed that sexist attitudes contributing to violence against women first begin in early childhood
Despite a drop in violent crime overall, domestic violence and sexual assault rates continue to risearound Australia with the vast majority of perpetrators still men
In the lead up to International Women’s Day, a panel of experts has spoken on ABC Radio about how to bring about the cultural change required to address violence against women
Around the country, women’s experiences of mental ill-health affect the impacts that street harassment has on them
[TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of street harassment]
In Victoria, Marcia Neave, the Commissioner of the first Royal Commission into Family Violence, has spoken out to emphasise that violence against women is everyone’s responsibility
In New South Wales, the Nowra Domestic Violence Intervention Service has reported that that a family were forced to sleep on the floor in the local police station after being refused crisis accommodation
In Queensland, the domestic violence support service DVConnect have expressed concerns thatpolice are not adequately responding to domestic violence incidents
In Darwin, a teenaged girl in immigration detention has harmed herself after alleging that she was sexual assaulted during her time in detention on Nauru [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of attempted suicide, sexual violence against children]
In the ACT, federal budget cuts could affect the ability of the Domestic Violence Crisis Service to provide translators of victims

Around the World

In Turkey, Nobel Prize winners have come together to condemn men’s violence against women in the country
Canadian MP Sharon Hodgson has reflected on her attendance at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Women Parliamentarians’ Conference and the importance of addressing violence against women globally
In the United States, actor Halle Berry has spoken about her experience of domestic violence as a child [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence]
In Pakistan, a bill designed to address violence against women will soon be sent to the government for approval
In Belgium, the cycling race E3 Harelbeke has come under fire for their sexist advertisement in the lead up to this year’s race
In the United States, the story of the ‘Monty Hall problem’ and the ‘world’s smartest woman’ is a reminder that hate mail and harassment of women in public pre-dates the internet
In Ghana, Amnesty International has raised concerns about the country’s efforts to address violence against women
In Iraq, both pro- and anti-government forces have been documented using sexual violence against women as a weapon of war [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, sexual violence]

Research, Resources and Reports

The Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education (fare)’s report, The Hidden Harm: Alcohol’s impact on children and families is now available online
The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has released its review of the Martin Place Siege, however the role of violence against women is not covered in any depth within the publication[TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, gun violence, death]

Get Involved!

A petition in Queensland calling for domestic violence death reviews, in line with Recommendation 8 of the Queensland Domestic Violence Taskforce Report, has already gained over 8,000 signatures

**Articles published do not necessarily reflect the view of AWAVA and are included as items of interest only.

International Women’s Day Breakfast: Melbourne

“Join: Irene M Santiago, Ethel Falu Sigimanu and Catherine Fox to celebrate IWD – Let’s not wait another 20 years to achieve gender equality

When: Tuesday 3rd MArch

Time: 7am – 9am

Where: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)”

For more information, visit: https://unwomen.org.au/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=181

New Booklet from DFAT – Empowering Women: Australia’s support for gender equality and the empowerment of women

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has released a new booklet featuring the stories from women around the world who have benefited from Australia’s foreign policy, economic diplomacy and aid programs.

PDF and Word versions of the booklet are available on the DFAT website.

Weekly Round-Up * 23 February

Welcome to the latest edition of the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up! This week, we learned that the rate of women being killed by domestic violence in Australia has increased in 2015 with close to two deaths per week since the start of the year. This is the same rate as in the UK, which has almost three times our population. Statistics like these are incredibly concerning, but we are heartened by the many people who continue to speak up and take action to end men’s violence against women. Everyone has the right to feel and be safe. It is our responsibility as a society to ensure this right is upheld.

Around the Country

Hip hop group Thundamentals have spoken out to express their disgust that a man sexually assaulted a woman at one of their shows and are calling for any witnesses to come forward
Jane Bullen, Research Associate at UNSW’s Social Policy Research Centre, has written in favour of specialist refuges for domestic violence
Services and activists are calling for far greater support to be dedicated to addressing domestic violence in migrant communities
[TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of abuse, technology facilitated abuse]
ABC’s ‘Q&A’ panel discussion program has drawn criticism for having more men than womenspeaking on the subject of family violence
In Victoria, the Royal Commission into Family Violence has launched their website and will shortly be in a position to accept submissions. The State Government has allocated an additional $4 million to cope with an expected increase in domestic violence reporting from the Commission
Rosie Batty has written about the recent finding that domestic violence offenders tend to receive more lenient court sentences than others [TRIGGER WARNING: threats, death]
In New South Wales, Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR) data shows that domestic violence rates have continued to rise since 2012
Clementine Ford suggests that our attitude towards sexual assault may be getting worse rather than better
In South Australia, Daily Life have published a profile of the Domestic Violence Crisis Service and their struggles to find safe accommodation for women fleeing violence
In New South Wales, researchers have identified a correlation between the number of liquor outlets in an area and rates of domestic violence

Around the World

Last month, the results of the largest ever international survey on the sexual and reproductive health and human rights of women living with HIV were published – but will they be acted upon?
In New Zealand, no change has been seen in rates of domestic violence over the last 12 months
In the lead-up to the 2015 Academy Awards, check out this list of 7 Oscars speech tributes to single mums [TRIGGER WARNING: Gun violence]
In the United States, continuing conversations about sexual assault in universities may be overlooking the increased risks faced by students with disabilities [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of sexual assault, stalking, harassment]
In Ireland, calls are being made for increased funding for services dealing with men who are violent
In Papua New Guinea, Australian Federal Police assigned to advise local police forces have described levels of violence against women as a pandemic [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence]
In the UK, the Joint Committee on Human Rights has reported to parliament that the government is failing to provide adequate refuge to women experiencing domestic violence
In Turkey, President Erdogan has publicly committed to taking action on violence against women in response to continuing protests about the murder of Ozgecan Aslan [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of extreme violence, sexual violence]
In Canada, police have recently returned from a journey to Australia to retrieve a man wanted for sexual assault in 2012

Research, Resources and Reports

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)’s think piece ‘Preventing Violence against Women and Girls with Disabilities: Integrating A Human Rights Perspective’ is now available online
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) have released findings from their 2013-2014 National Crime Victimisation Survey online
Snapshot Report 1 of the Cost of Youth Homelessness in Australia longitudinal study is now available online
US researchers Rebecca J Macy, Ijeoma Nwabuzor Ogbonnaya and Sandra L Martin have published a practice note entitled ‘Providers’ Perspectives About Helpful Information for Evaluating Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services’
The Journal of Research and Advancement in Dentistry have published an article entitled ‘The Role of the Dental Profession in Responding to Domestic Violence’
The journal Women and Birth has published ‘An exploration of Australian midwives’ knowledge of intimate partner violence against women during pregnancy’

Get Involved!

Tickets are now available for Anne Summers in Conversation with Australian Chief of Army Lieutenant General David Morrison on 26 February
Applications are open for YWCA Canberra’s Great Ydeas Small Grants Program
Registrations remain open for the 3^rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters to be held in The Hague on 3-6 November 2015
The Canberra Museum and Gallery will be hosting ‘Women’s Power to Stop War’, an exhibition celebrating the centenary of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, from Saturday 21 February – Sunday 31 March

**Articles published do not necessarily reflect the view of AWAVA and are included as items of interest only.

Fundraising Event: Fed Up Lunch

“The inaugural Fed Up Lunch will be held on Lightning Stakes Day, 21 February, in a premier dining room at Flemington Racecourse, and aims to achieve two broad objectives;

– Raise much-needed funds to enable McAuley to help Victorian women and children escaping family violence
– Create awareness about this widespread issue in our community

The intention is to have some fun while we’re doing it. We’ll sit down to a gourmet three course lunch, and be entertained by some special guests including Triple M’s Matt Tilley, and others that will be announced shortly.”

100% of the proceeds will go to McAuley Community Services for Women.

For more information, visit: http://www.feduplunch.org/about-the-event

World Day of Social Justice

“For the United Nations, the pursuit of social justice for all is at the core of our global mission to promote development and human dignity. The adoption by the International Labour Organization of the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization is just one recent example of the UN system’s commitment to social justice. The Declaration focuses on guaranteeing fair outcomes for all through employment, social protection, social dialogue, and fundamental principles and rights at work.

The General Assembly proclaimed 20 February as World Day of Social Justice in 2007, inviting Member States to devote the day to promoting national activities in accordance with the objectives and goals of the World Summit for Social Development and the twenty-fourth session of the General Assembly. Observance of World Day of Social Justice should support efforts of the international community in poverty eradication, the promotion of full employment and decent work, gender equity and access to social well-being and justice for all.”

For more information, visit: http://www.un.org/en/events/socialjusticeday/

Senate Inquiry Terms of Reference

Terms of reference are now available here for the Senate Standing Committees of Community Affairs Inquiry into violence, abuse and neglect against people with disability in institutional and residential settings, including the gender and age related dimensions, and the particular situation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability, and culturally and linguistically diverse people with disability.

This Inquiry was referred to the Senate Standing Committees of Community Affairs on 11 February 2015, and more information about it can be found here.

This site is being archived soon. Visit wesnet.org.au for more information.

About AWAVA Secretariat