AWAVA Secretariat, Author at AWAVA

Weekly Round-up * 16 February

Welcome to the latest edition of the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up! This week, many of the links we feature concern the stories and experiences of women from Australia and around the world. Taking the time to truly hear women, especially survivors, is pivotal to our success in addressing men’s violence against women. These conversations, about our feminism and our activism, are what drive us to make effective change.

Around the Country

Terms of Reference are now available 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
The Australian Women’s Weekly have published the stories of five Australian women who have survived domestic violence
[TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, violence against children]
Australian employers who have introduced domestic violence leave have been identified as ‘world leaders’ in addressing violence against women
Judith Lucy’s new television show, Judith Lucy is All Woman, is set to address feminism and violence against women in modern Australia
UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Rashida Manjoo, was interviewed on RN Breakfast about violence against women in Australia
Rosie Batty published a letter to her son Luke on the anniversary of his death [TRIGGER WARNING: Violence against children, death]
In Victoria, there has been a sharp increase in numbers of sexual assaults reported on school and university campuses in the last financial year
In Queensland, questions are being raised about the effectiveness of the current civil domestic violence order system
In Victoria, the taskforce established by Former Chief Commissioner Ken Lay to investigate complaints of sexual harassment, serious predatory behaviour and sex discrimination by Victorian police has resulted in the arrest of a Protective Services officer for child sexual abuse

Around the World

Frances Ryan has written about her experiences as a disabled feminist, suggesting that “when we see feminism and disability rights as separate campaigns and separate lives – we split a person down the middle”
In Nigeria, a video has been released of 500 school girls being rescued from a violent attack by Boko Haram [TRIGGER WARNING: descriptions of violence, violence against children]
In the United States, The University of Oregon has been accused of illegally accessing the medical records of a woman who they expected to file a sexual assault-related lawsuit against the school
In the UK, there is community outrage after a court ordered a survivor of extreme domestic violence towrite to her ex-partner in prison [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, graphic injuries, child abuse]
In Namibia, the UK is continuing to fund a successful training course for Namibian police on “Community Policing and Gender-Based Violence”
In the Solomon Islands, the government is seeking to raise awareness of the fact that domestic violence is now a criminal offense after the passage of the Family Protection Act 2014
In the UK, Angelina Jolie has opened the UK Centre to Fight Warzone Violence Against Women at the London School of Economics [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, sexual violence, violence against children]
In the United States, law students are pushing for more in-depth coverage of the law around gender-based violence
In Turkey, street protests have broken out demanding the government do more to address violence against women following the violent killing of a 20-year-old psychology student [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, sexual assault, death]
In Nigeria, United Nations Women in collaboration with Nigeria Women Platform for Peaceful Election (NWPPE) are working to build capacity to address violence against women in election environments

Research, Resources and Reports

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has released their 2015 Closing the Gap Report
The Together for Equality & Respect Action Plan 2013-2017 is now available to download. This Action Plan represents the implementation phase of Together for Equality & Respect: A Strategy to Prevent Violence Against Women in Melbourne’s East 2013 – 2017
Rosie Batty has launched a new app, iMatter, to help women recognise the warning signs of abusive and controlling behaviour

Get Involved!

The Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education (fare) have released the program for the launch of their report: ‘The hidden harm: Alcohol’s impact on children and families’ in Sydney, 24 February
Registrations remain open for the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters to be held in The Hague on 3-6 November 2015
Registration remains open for the Australian Peacewomen Awards and Women’s Power to Stop War Conference in Canberra on 28-29 May 2015 presented by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

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

Public Lecture: Re-visiting the continuum of sexual violence in the 21st century

“12.30-2.00pm (doors open at 12.00pm)
Friday, 13th February 2015
Meeting Room, Adelaide Town Hall (entry via walkway at 25 Pirie Street) 128 King William Street Adelaide, SA 5000 Australia
ANROWS invites you to this public lecture by Professor Liz Kelly CBE.

Professor Kelly is Co-Chair of the End Violence Against Women Coalition UK (EVAW) and Professor of Sexualised Violence, London Metropolitan University.

In 1988 Professor Kelly established the concept of a ‘continuum of violence’ in her highly acclaimed book Surviving Sexual Violence.

This concept transformed the way we think about sexual violence. It recognised commonalities between different forms of violence and identified their connection to structural gender inequality.

In this ANROWS lecture, Professor Kelly revisits the continuum of violence to highlight its continuing significance today.”

For more information, visit: http://www.anrows.org.au/events/re-visiting-the-continuum-sexual-violence-in-the-21st-century

Weekly Round-Up * 10 February

After a short break, we’re back with the latest edition of the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up. This week, we have highlighted a variety of ways that supporters can actively participate in the prevention and elimination of men’s violence against women. From conferences and talks to surveys and social media, to simple discussions with friends and family, everyday people from around Australia are creating change and turning our society into one that rejects gender-based violence.

Around the Country

Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women Michaelia Cash has announced funding of more than $265,000 for the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health to deliver the National Education Toolkit FGM Awareness (NETFA) project
Five national, cross disability organisations have received funding from the Australian Government to form the Australian Cross Disability Alliance and provide a voice for the 4.2 million Australians with disability
Kimberley Abbott and Maria Osman have been announced as the non-government members of the Australian delegation to the 59th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59)
In the Northern Territory, Chief Justice Trevor Riley has described cutting funding from legal aid services as a ‘false economy’
Boxer Floyd Mayweather has been denied entry to Australia based on his history as a perpetrator of domestic violence
White Ribbon Ambassador Tanveer Ahmed has attracted extensive criticism after publishing a column blaming violence against women on the ‘disempowerment’ of men

Around the World

In the UK, a well-known QC’s deeply offensive comments about victims and survivors of sexual assault have attracted international condemnation
[TRIGGER WARNING: victim blaming, violent language]
The Pakistan government has emphasised the need to address violence against women in conflictduring debate at the UN Security Council
In Poland, lawmakers have voted to sign into law the Istanbul Convention on Violence against Women after ‘fiery debate’
In Canada, new research has found that Muslim women have equivalent levels of workforce participation as women from other minority faiths
In the United States, a bill has been proposed to ensure that high school students are educated about sexual assault and safety in relationships
In Canada, supervisory bodies have found that law students are not being adequately trained to advise victims and survivors of domestic violence [TRIGGER WARNING: descriptions of violence, death]
In Zimbabwe, the media is being asked to take an active role in addressing gender-based violence
The film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey continues to attract controversy, including calls for a boycott

Research, Resources and Reports

Health in Difference 2015, the 9^th National LGBTI Health Conference, have put out their call for abstracts
The Domestic Violence Resource Centre of Victoria (DVRCV) have released a new poster for free download about the facts on family violence

Get Involved!

UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women Rashida Manjoo will be presenting RightsTalk: Continuing and New Challenges in the Quest to Eliminate Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences in Sydney tomorrow, 11 February
Professor Liz Kelly will be presenting a public lecture with ANROWS on Friday 13 February on the topic: ‘Re-visiting the continuum of sexual violence in the 21st century’
Over 300 people have already responded to the SmartSafe survey on workers’ perspectives of technology-facilitated abuse!
Registrations have now opened for the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters to be held in The Hague on 3-6 November 2015
Early Bird registration remains open for the Australian Peacewomen Awards and Women’s Power to Stop War Conference in Canberra on 28-29 May 2015 presented by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
Our Advisory Group member Women’s Legal Services Australia (WLSA) is now on Facebook andTwitter!
The Partners in Prevention Forum 2015 will take place tomorrow 11 February in Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is seeking women aged between 16 and 50 who have experienced relationship issues over the last 6 months to participate in their trial of a website designed to help women to self-reflect on the health of their relationships, become more informed about what might help them, and plan for their safety and wellbeing

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

Gendered Violence Research Network (GVRN) Asia-Pacific Conference on Gendered Violence and Violations

“The Gendered Violence Research Network (GVRN) – a joint initiative of UNSW Arts and Social Sciences and UNSW Law – will hold its inaugural Asia-Pacific conference on Gendered Violence and Violations at UNSW Australia (The University of New South Wales) in Sydney on 10-12 February 2015.

Gendered violence is increasingly recognised as a major global problem and constitutes a violation of human rights for women, men, children and elders. This ground-breaking international conference with an Asia-Pacific focus will combine and expand interdisciplinary research and practitioner knowledge to encourage innovation and best practice in responding to gendered and sexualised violence. It will also be an opportunity to explore less visible violations related to gendered inequality and injustice, including the continuing effects of colonisation.

Conference Themes / Streams

The GVRN conference aims to facilitate the exchange of perspectives, ideas and strategies between countries, regions and sectors, and will focus on the following conference themes/streams:

Investigating psycho-social, therapeutic and prevention interventions for gendered violence and violations: what are emerging interventions and do we know how effective they are, and can we intervene and prevent at the same time?

Engaging with policy and legal responses to gendered violence and violations: how are policies at different levels being designed, implemented and evaluated; and what are existing and potential innovative legal responses?

Exploring conceptualisations and representations of gendered violence and violations: how can various art forms – literature, television, visual arts and multimedia – be used by diverse cultural groups, and produce spaces of critique and agency?”

For more information, visit: http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=0167f9624f1ef4543f12e6de7&id=87b3acde70&e=[UNIQID]

AWAVA Submission: Pre-Budget Submission 2015-2016

In AWAVA’s Pre-Budget Submission 2015-2016, we outline policy recommendations for consideration by the Commonwealth Government in its 2015-16 budget. Over recent years, the Commonwealth Government has demonstrated leadership towards preventing male violence against women, improving community understanding and awareness of domestic and family violence and sexual assault, and putting legislation and services in place to protect and support women and their children who have experienced violence. AWAVA welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s release of the Second Action Plan under The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010 – 2022. This National Plan is imperative for effectively responding to the needs of Australian women and their children. Its focus on prevention and emphasis on “working to increase gender equality to prevent violence from occurring in the first place” is the bedrock of a cross-jurisdictional and comprehensive policy framework for the elimination of male violence against women. However, there needs to be greater focus on achieving substantive equality and an increased comprehension of how achieving substantive equality will significantly assist in addressing systemic contributors to men’s violence against women.

In presenting this submission, AWAVA calls for holistic responses to the greatest areas of need:

Adequate funding of The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010 – 2022;
Committed and ongoing Commonwealth Government funding for the National Affordable Housing Agreement and the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, which provide vital funding for specialist women’s services in the family and domestic violence sector;
Adequate and sustainable funding of legal assistance services: Legal Aid Commissions, Community Legal Centres, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and Family Violence
Prevention Legal Services, including specialist women’s legal services that address the specific needs of women facing multiple forms of disadvantage; and
Adequate and ongoing funding for women’s specialist health services.

In 2008-09, the cost of domestic violence to our economy was estimated at $13.6 billion. Without action, this is expected to rise to an estimated $15.6 billion by 2021-22. Domestic violence in particularly marginalised communities also has high economic costs. Without appropriate action, by 2021-22 domestic violence in immigrant and refugee communities will cost the economy over $4 billion, domestic violence against women with disabilities will cost $3.9 billion and domestic violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities will cost $2.2 billion. It is imperative that adequate funding is allocated to addressing this and other forms of male violence against women and that this funding is proportionate to the extent of the problem.

You can download our complete submission in pdf format here

Australian Cross Disability Alliance Formed

AWAVA welcomes the fantastic news that the Australian Cross Disability Alliance has been formed with funding from the Australian Government to represent the voices of Australians with disability from all walks of life. This is an exciting development and we look forward engaging with their work.

The members of the Australian Cross Disability Alliance are:

For more information about the Australian Cross Disability Alliance, see their media release.

Workshop: Key issues in sexual assault practice

“Key issues in sexual assault practice: Reflections and discussions from research. (ANROWS event)

1.00-4.30pm
Monday, 9th February 2015
Australian Technology Park. Eveleigh, Sydney, NSW
ANROWS is now accepting submissions to attend a capacity building workshop with Professor Liz Kelly CBE.

Professor Kelly is Co-Chair of the End Violence Against Women Coalition UK (EVAW) and Professor of Sexualised Violence, London Metropolitan University.

Expressions of interest are due by 5.30pm on Friday 16 January, 2015.

In this invitation-only session, participants will engage in a reflective dialogue with Professor Kelly on issues relating to sexual violence research-to-practice.

Interested parties from all states and territories are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). Invitations will be issued with consideration of EOI responses, applicants’ roles and geographic and cultural diversity.

Participation is free of charge but limited to 30 delegates.

Please note that invitations are limited to one person per service (exceptional circumstances will be considered).

Preference will be given to applicants who are actively engaged in responding to and preventing sexual assault as practitioners, policy makers, advocates, researchers and/or activists.”

For more information, visit: http://www.anrows.org.au/events/key-issues-in-sexual-assault-practice-reflections-and-discussions-research-anrows-event

Universal Periodic Review NGO Workshop and Consultation

You are invited to a human rights engagement workshop and consultation on Australia’s Universal Periodic Review in Perth!

Date: Thursday 22 January 2015
Time: 10:00am – 11:30am – National Women’s Alliances update followed by morning tea
11: 30am – 1:30pm International Human Rights Engagement Workshop
1:30pm – 2:30pm – Lunch
2:00pm – 4:00pm – UPR consultation
Venue: The Vault Room, Ground Floor, 45 St Georges Terrace, Perth
RSVP: RSVP by COB Wednesday 14 January

Australia’s upcoming review by the UN Human Rights Council provides an important opportunity for
Australian NGOs to encourage and influence the Australian Government to improve the protection
and promotion of human rights and fulfil its international obligations.
Consultation participants will share insights and learnings from Australia’s first UPR, discuss progress
on the implementation of recommendations from the previous review and discuss key issues,
opportunities and strategies for the upcoming UPR in 2015.
A workshop session will also be held on engaging with international human rights in Australian advocacy.
Prior to the workshop the Equality Rights Alliance will provide an introduction to the international
human rights framework (with an emphasis on the rights of women) and identify methods of using
international rights in a domestic setting.

This workshop is presented by the National Women’s Alliances and the Equality Rights Alliance with
assistance from the National Association of Community Legal Centres, The Human Rights Law
Centre and Kingsford legal Centre.

For more information, visit: http://awava.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/UPR-NGO-workshop-and-consulation-Perth.pdf

Weekly Round-Up * 19 January

Welcome to the latest edition of the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up. This week, many of the links we have highlighted focus on the sharing of experiences. From Royal Commissions to social media, the ability of survivors to communicate their perspectives and experiences is crucial to properly understanding gender based violence. Further, listening to survivors, and working with them to take substantive action, is key to addressing and ultimately eliminating men’s violence against women.

The Weekly Round-Up will be on hiatus for the next 2 weeks. Keep an eye out for our next edition on 9 February!

Around the Country

In Victoria, the State Government has announced the terms of reference for its Royal Commission into Family Violence
It is now almost 30 years since the horrific assault and murder of Anita Cobby in Blacktown and the trial of her killers
[TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, sexual assault, death]
Researchers have found that unequal division of household duties is a key factor in preventing women’s economic engagement and financial independence
A review from James Cook University has found a severe lack of substantive research into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences of sexual assault and sexual assault services
Journalist Kathleen Calderwood has profiled a men’s behaviour change program being provided in Townsville [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, abuse]
Telstra have announced that they will be providing employees with 10 days of paid domestic violence leave
Domestic violence service providers have emphasised the importance of taking any instance of violence or feeling unsafe in a relationship seriously enough to seek help [TRIGGER WARNNG: Description of violence]

Around the World

In Papua New Guinea, a free counselling hotline for victims of domestic violence will be operational by the end of this year
In the United States, a bill that would allow domestic violence perpetrators in Michigan to carry concealed firearms has been vetoed [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, violence against children]
UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women Rashida Manjoo has been denied a visa by Israelto enter Palestine and speak with women who have experienced violence
Iceland’s UN ‘Barbershop’ Conference on violence against women was held in New York on 14-15 January
In the United Kingdom, universities are trialling programs to train students in effective intervention if they witness sexual harassment or assault [TRIGGER WARNING: Description of violence, death]
In the United States, the state of Maine has introduced a new risk-assessment tool to all state law enforcement agencies to help predict which offenders pose the highest risk
In South Africa, NGOs are delivering training to fathers in taking a more equitable role in the household, in the hopes of stemming rates of violence against women
US Associate Professor Katie Rose Guest Pryal has written a guide for academics dealing with survivors in their classes
In Egypt, women are using social media to share stories of sexual harassment and photographs of perpetrators

Research, Resources and Reports

The Journal of Crime and Justice has published an article entitled ‘Gendered violence and victim blame: subject perceptions of blame and the appropriateness of services for survivors of domestic sex trafficking, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence’ by Tasha A. Menakera and Cortney A. Franklina

Get Involved!

In Adelaide, ANROWS is hosting a public lecture on Friday 13 February with Professor Liz Kelly CBE on the topic: ‘Re-visiting the continuum of sexual violence in the 21st century’
Did you get involved with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence this year? If so, take your chance to complete a short 10 question survey by Friday, 23 January and help develop future campaign strategies based directly on lessons learned and knowledge gathered!
Early Bird registration is now open for the Australian Peacewomen Awards and Women’s Power to Stop War Conference in Canberra on 28-29 May 2015 presented by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Tickets are now on sale for UN Women’s International Women’s Day Breakfast events around the country

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

Weekly Round-Up * 5 January

Welcome to the latest edition of the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up and welcome to 2015! This week, we are looking back at the year that was, and looking forward at the challenges and opportunities of the year to come. 2014 saw women’s voices swelling around the word, be they quiet and eloquent or powerful and demanding, women of all ages joined the common chorus for recognition, respect and safety.

[TRIGGER WARNING: descriptions of violence, sexual assault] At the same time many people will reflect on 2014 as a year of continued violence and of insufficient responses to this violence.

We know that gender based violence is staggering in its scope and that it will continue to impact millions of women in 2015. We know that gender inequality is both a consequence and cause of violence against women. At AWAVA, we also know that in 2015 passionate people like you will continue to struggle for the right of all women and girls to feel and be safe wherever they are around the globe.

Around the Country

Police and women’s services braced for an increase in domestic violence cases before the holiday period, with police in Mackay attending 13 incidents on Christmas Day alone
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick has spoken about the need to reflect on the many stories of violence against women from 2014 and to address the gender inequality that allows this violence to continue
Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to intimate partner violence and calls have been renewed for increased training for midwives working with women who may have experienced violence
Ken Lay has resigned as Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police in order to provide care and support to his wife who is experiencing a long term illness
Queensland’s Domestic Violence Taskforce is considering proposals that call for mandatory behaviour change programs for domestic violence offenders [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence]
In Victoria, a police officer has been suspended with pay while allegations that he sexually assaulted a fellow officer are investigated
In New South Wales, the number of domestic violence victims being referred to a trial advocacy group for court services far exceeds expectations [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, violence image, death]
In Western Australia, a District Court has found that a woman defamed her estranged husband byposting on Facebook that he had abused her

Around the World

Recent incidents of violence around the world have demonstrated that men who perpetrate ‘mass killings’ are often already known perpetrators of violence against women [TRIGGER WARNING: gun violence, descriptions of violence, death]
Nidal Karim, senior adviser for gender and empowerment impact measurement at CARE USA, has listed four tips for integrating gender-based violence into development programs
In the United States, journalists are examining the ongoing impact that violence has, not only on direct victims, but also on their families and caregivers [TRIGGER WARNING: Gun violence]
In the UK, new legislation criminalising coercive and controlling behaviour in an effort to more fully address domestic violence has been met with guarded praise [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of abuse]
In the Philippines, investigations continue into trafficking and abuse of women by overseas recruitment agencies [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence, abuse, sexual violence, suicide]
In the United States, some researchers have raised concerns about the focus on sexual assaults of women in universities, which they say hides the fact that women in low socio-economic situations, who may not be able to afford tertiary education, are at much greater risk of violence and abuse[TRIGGER WARNING: Potentially disturbing stylised image of assault]
In Canada, calls are being made for victims of sexual assaults and other crimes to have broader standing in criminal proceedings
In Somaliland, ‘Girls’ Clubs’ are being funded to enable girls to learn and speak out about female genital cutting/mutilation
In Turkey, women’s rights organisations feel they have been shut out of the evaluation process for the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the İstanbul Convention
In Malawi, a senior magistrate has suggested that a lack of education about gender related laws amongst junior court staff is compromising the delivery of justice in gender-based violence cases across the country

Research, Resources and Reports

The Journal of Adolescent Health has published an article entitled ‘Addressing Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence Among Adolescents: Emerging Evidence of Effectiveness’ by Rebecka Lundgren and Avni Amin
The American Journal of Public Health has published an article entitled ‘Adolescents’ and Adults’ Experiences of Being Surveyed About Violence and Abuse: A Systematic Review of Harms, Benefits, and Regrets’
The journal, Australasian Psychiatry, has published an article entitled ‘What can psychiatrists do to better support victims of family violence?’
Santi Owen and Kerry Carrington have authored an article entitled ‘Domestic violence (DV) service provision and the architecture of rural life: An Australian case study’, published by the Journal of Rural Studies
The journal, Violence Against Women, has published an article entitled ‘What Counts? A Mixed-Methods Study to Inform Evaluation of Shelters for Abused Women’
Amnesty International have published a report entitled Escape from Hell: Torture And Sexual Slavery In Islamic State Captivity In Iraq

Get Involved!

Our sister alliance, Equality Rights Alliance, will be hosting a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) consultation to share information and insights on the UPR process, discuss key human rights issues and develop collective strategies ahead of Australia’s upcoming UPR; a workshop session on engaging with international human rights in Australian advocacy; as well as a report back from the National Women’s Alliances in Perth on 22 January 2015

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

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About AWAVA Secretariat

Around the Country

Around the World

Research, Resources and Reports

Get Involved!