AWAVA Secretariat, Author at AWAVA

Public Lecture: ‘Being social – The human right against social deprivation’

“The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law proudly presents

Associate Professor Kimberley Brownlee
University of Warwick

Date: Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Time: 6pm to 7pm
Venue: Melbourne City Conference Centre Chapel, 333 Swanston Street, (Cnr Little Lonsdale and Swanston Streets), Melbourne
RSVP: [email protected] or telephone 03 9905 3327

Public lecture – All welcome

We are, by nature, social creatures. We spend the majority of our waking hours with other people, and we need each other to survive and flourish. Despite this, human rights debates give little attention to interpersonal needs. This lack of attention is reflected in our institutional practices in criminal justice, immigration, and healthcare, which hold many people in coercive isolation, and which allow many vulnerable people, such as elderly people and disabled people, to become chronically acutely lonely due to neglect. In this talk, Kimberley Brownlee argues that there is a human right against such social deprivation, and it is as fundamental as any right already on the books.”

For more information, visit: http://www.law.monash.edu.au/castancentre/public-events/events/2014/social-deprivation.html

Preventing Violence Against Women

“Wednesday, 16 April 2014 – 9:30am to 4:30pm

This one day training, presented by DVRCV and No To Violence, will assist workers, volunteers and community representatives to take an active role in preventing men’s violence against women. The training will look at opportunities to respond to and prevent violence along a continuum, and explore essential knowledge, skills and attitudes required to underpin effective prevention work, including bystander action and efforts towards gender equity.”

To learn more, visit: http://www.dvrcv.org.au/course/non-accredited/preventing-violence-against-women-0

Weekly Round Up * 11 April

Welcome once again to the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up. This week has seen people from incredibly diverse backgrounds and in a large variety of locations expressing their support and solidarity with victims and survivors of violence against women. In acknowledging that violence against women is both a consequence and a cause of gender inequality, AWAVA believes that support and action from the entire Australian and global community is vital if we are to protect the right of all women and girls to live free from all forms of violence and abuse. Preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls is everyone’s responsibility.

Around the Country

The Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children and VicHealth have announced a new three-year partnership to develop a national framework to the prevention of violence against women which has been welcomed by many services across the sector
The Australian Human Rights Commission has found that half of all Australian women have experienced pregnancy related discrimination in the workplace
The transitioning of clearinghouse functions previously delivered by the Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault (ACSSA) at the Australia Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) and the Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse (ADFVC) at UNSW to the National Centre of Excellence to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (NCE) has begun
Over six hundred people attended a candle-light vigil for murdered French student Sophie Louise Collombet in Brisbane
In Victoria, courts are struggling to deal with large numbers of family violence offenders breaching intervention orders multiple times
In 2012-13, there was a 34 percent increase in older women seeking assistance from homelessness services in Victoria, often as a result of fleeing domestic violence
Journalist Thomas Oriti has spoken about the deeply disturbing nature and huge importance of the evidence being presented at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
The Women’s Centre for Health Matters in Canberra is surveying residents to learn more about how people get around safely at night
Ken Lay and Luke Ablett have condemned an article written by an anonymous AFL player which objectified women and glamorised harassment and abuse
A court in the ACT has set a precedent by accepting expert evidence that approximately half of all sexual assault victims experience a paralysis response to their assault

Around the World

Buzzfeed employees share 28 stories of street sexual harassment
[Trigger Warning: descriptions of sexual harassment, violence and threats]
In Norway, a shock campaign has been launched to raise awareness of domestic violence [Trigger Warning: image of assault]
In India, a sentence of death in the Shakti Mills rape cases has forced women’s rights activists to speak out against the suitability of the penalty as a ‘regressive judgement’
Feminists in the UK have highlighted the vast difference between flirting and harassment
In Lebanon, the future of legislation criminalising domestic violence for the first time remains unclear
In Brazil, a surge of public attention has followed the results of a study on attitudes towards violence against women
Amnesty International reports that 2014 may be a “make-or-break year for Afghan women”

Research and Reports

The NSW Ombudsman has tabled a special report into the Child Protection System in NSW: ‘Review of NSW Child Protection System: Are things improving?’
New research has found that many young women do not report harassment and abuse because they view it as normal [Trigger Warning: descriptions of sexual abuse of children]

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

Weekly Round-Up * 4 April

This Weekly Round-Up comes to you at the end of Stop Street Harassment Week. AWAVA is proud to have participated in and co-sponsored this global event once again this year. We firmly believe that women and girls have the right to feel and be safe in private and in public. Street harassment is a form of gender-based violence and it MUST end!

You can see some of our activities on our Twitter Feed and Facebook page, or join the global conversation taking place on Twitter under #EndSHWeek

Around the Country

Justice Peter McClellan, Chair of the Royal Commission into Child Sex Abuse, has stated that the Commission does not have the resources to completely investigate the huge number of plaints made to them
Australian of the Year, Adam Goodes has spoken out “about his terrifying childhood“
A proposed Victorian law to criminalise non-disclosure of child abuse has been met with concern about the status of victims of abuse, including a passionate response from Rosie Batty, mother of murdered 11-year-old Luke Batty
The Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria has won the global Avon Communications Award for their booklet ‘Sex, Love and Other Stuff’
The Commonwealth Government has announced an extension to the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness funding
After discussion with the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Western Australian Government has committed to considering indefinite detention of people with disability in its current review of criminal legislation
Reports of family violence in Aboriginal families in Victoria has almost tripled in the past five years
In a landmark decision, the High Court has ruled that the NSW Registrar must recognise that a person may be neither male nor female
In Victoria, Behaviour change programs aimed at stopping men from being violent will expand by more than 20 per cent with a $2.1 million funding boost from the Victorian Coalition Government
Also in Victoria, a report says that “Victoria has severe shortage of public housing“
There is growing recognition of the variety of ‘tricks’ and ‘loopholes’ used by defence counsel to attempt to make victims of violence retract their complaints
On 3rd April, 2014 Community Law Australia held a social media Day of Action with community legal centres around Australia telling their stories on Facebook, and using the #unlockthelaw hashtag on Twitter.
13 year old Olive Bowler, “hits out at surfer sexism“

Around the World

Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the head of UN Women, has called for men to do more to ensure women’s rights and for ‘bold steps, not baby steps’ when it comes to the status of women
Actress Angelina Jolie has visited Bosnia as part of a campaign against rape as a weapon of war
In the UK, funding cuts have led to a significant decrease in services for victims and survivors of domestic violence
In Zimbabwe, calls are being made for change across the whole of society in order to prevent and eliminate gender based violence
In Brazil, “a recent government-sanctioned poll revealed that Brazilian men — and women — believe that if a woman shows off her body she deserves to be raped“
A court in India has sentenced three men to hang, under a new law which carries the death penalty for those convicted of multiple sexual assaults.
In the United States, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month with events all over the country
In Lebanon, a new law has been passed to criminalise domestic violence, however activists maintain that without amendments, including the criminalisation of marital rape, the law will be ineffective
UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Rashida Manjoo, has begun an investigative mission in the UK at the invitation of the UK Government

Research and Reports

Researchers from UNSW’s Gender Violence Research Network have launched a new report in conjunction with Ruby Gaea Darwin and the Northern Territory Working Women’s Centre: ‘Report on a scoping study into the effects of sexual violence on employees and the workplace’
The Australian Institute of Family Studies have released ”
Victim/survivor-focused justice responses and reforms to criminal court practice: Implementation, current practice and future directions”

Resources

Women’s Legal Services New South Wales have launched “When she talks to you about the violence: A toolkit for GPs in NSW“

Get Involved

On 31st March, The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) released a Discussion Paper, Serious Invasions of Privacy in the Digital Era (DP 80, 2014). The Terms of Reference for this Inquiry ask the ALRC to consider the detailed legal design of a statutory cause of action and, in addition, other innovative ways the law might prevent or redress serious invasions of privacy. The ALRC is seeking feedback from the community on 47 proposals for reform outlined in the Discussion Paper including a new Commonwealth Act that would provide for a statutory cause of action for serious invasions of privacy.

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

Public Lecture: Surveillance and the Right to Privacy in a Digital Age

“The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law invites you to a public lecture with:

Kenneth Roth
Executive Director of Human Rights Watch

‘Surveillance and the Right to Privacy in a Digital Age’

Date: Wednesday, 2 April 2014
Time: 1pm to 2pm
Venue: Monash University Law Chambers, 555 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
RSVP: [email protected] or telephone 03 9905 3327″

For more information, visit: http://www.law.monash.edu.au/castancentre/public-events/events/2014/digital-age.html

Webinar: Child Support Part 1: Assessments, Agreements & Parentage

“Tue, Apr 1, 2014 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM EST

This webinar is the first of our two-part series where will explore all things Child Support!

In this first webinar, we will explore:

– Calculating the child support formula
– Appealing assessments
– Binding and Limited Child Support Agreements
– Proving parentage

Don’t miss your chance for Q&A with Alira, our resident child support expert. Plus receive a certificate for any CPD requirements by filling out the online survey after the webinar.

Presented by Alira Morey, Senior Solicitor, Women’s Legal Services NSW”

To learn more, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5091872788226533377

Child Aware Approaches Conference

“Sharing, Building and Recognising Child Aware Innovation

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 31 March-1 April 2014

Building on the highly acclaimed, inaugural Child Aware Approaches Conference, Families Australia is pleased to be hosting the 2014 Child Aware Approaches Conference with the support of the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

The two-day conference will be an opportunity to showcase and disseminate knowledge about current research and innovative practices with the intention of replicating success, building greater capacity and recognising the uptake of Child Aware Approaches in the delivery of services. The conference will contribute to the second three year action plan 2012-2015 under the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020, the National Mental Health Reform and the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022.”

To learn more, visit: http://childaware.org.au/index.asp?IntCatId=14

Weekly Round-Up * 28 March

Welcome to the AWAVA Weekly Round-Up! This week, the Australian Human Rights Commission has released its Audit Report: the final report of its Review into the Treatment of Women in the Australian Defence Force. Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick chaired the review, working passionately and meticulously to compile the huge amount of research necessary to complete this immensely important undertaking. As a result of the review process, the Australian Defence Force has successfully moved to an environment where significant progress has been made to “improve gender diversity and enhance capacity” on an institutional scale. The Commissioner has urged the Defence Force to continue building on this momentum into the future.

Around the Country

Attention and support is growing for gender-based violence prevention programs being delivered in schools
The important role of bystanders has been highlighted with a call for people to take action if they witness violence against women
Martin McKenzie-Murray writes about the day-to-day work of domestic violence services
Reports of mobile technology being used to stalk and harass are continuing to increase around Australia
In NSW, Labor is seeking to amend provocation laws to better protect victims of domestic violence
A courageous woman has spoken out after going into hiding following the release on bail of her violent ex-partner
[TRIGGER WARNING: video of domestic violence attack]
The Chair of the Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children, Natasha Stott Despoja AM, has welcomed the Northern Territory Government’s support for the Foundation
Executive Director of UN Women Australia Julie McKay has been appointed as Gender Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Force

Around the World

In Malawi, the National Community Policing Office have announced a significant drop in rates of gender-based violence between 2012 and 2013
In the United States, a growing number of women’s shelters and refuges are allowing women to bring pets with them
In South Africa, a pilot 24-hour call centre program has been launched to assist victims of gender-based violence around the country
In Somaliland, UN Women have launched a three year program in collaboration with the Government to promote gender equality and end violence against women
In Fiji, police have participated in a week-long training course on gender, violence against women and human rights
Former US President Jimmy Carter has issued “a call to action to end the abuse and subjugation of women”
The United States Supreme Court has upheld a law barring people convicted of ‘minor domestic violence offences’ from possessing firearms

Research and Reports

From the Australian Human Rights Commission: Audit Report – Review into the Treatment of Women in the Australian Defence Force
From the Australian Institute of Criminology, Alexandra Gannoni and Tracy Cussen: ‘Same-sex intimate partner homicide in Australia’
Researchers have been able to release preliminary results from a survey into the long-term effects of domestic and family violence on women
From The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault– The exception that proves the rule: Female sex offending and the gendered nature of sexual violence

Get Involved

White Ribbon Australia, in collaboration with Youth Action, has launched a survey of youth attitudes towards domestic, family and intimate partner violence. The survey should be completed by those aged 16-25, takes 20 minutes and is completely anonymous.
Dr Angela Spinney will be presenting the next 1800RESPECT webinar ‘Exploring practical ways of helping women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence to stay safely in their home‘. Register here

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

Screening: Girl Rising

“A phenomenal and deeply moving documentary that tells the true stories of nine girls from different parts of the world who face arranged marriages, child slavery, and other heartbreaking injustices. Despite these obstacles, the brave girls offer hope and inspiration. By getting an education, they’re able to break barriers and create change.

When: Public screening will be held on Sunday 30 March at 6:00pm.
Where: Studio 188, 188 Brisbane Street, Ipswich
Cost: $10 for single admission. A 50 per cent reduction is possible for parties and larger groups.

Additional screening times are 10.00am or 12.30pm daily from Monday 31 March to Thursday 3 April.
Evening performances on Monday 31 March, Tuesday 1 April, Monday 7 April, Tuesday 8 April, Wednesday 9 April, and Thursday 10 April at 7:00pm.”

For more information, visit: http://studio188.com.au/event/art-house-cinema-girl-rising/

Woman Scream Poetry

“The Sydney Feminists will hold Australia’s first event in contribution to the Woman Scream International Women’s Poetry festival. We will be hosting a spectacular show featuring the talents of many amazing poetesses and poets on the subject of women, violence against women and support for women.

We will also be showcasing the work of some amazing artists on the subject of violence against women. The exhibition will be on display throughout the event.

Date and Time: Saturday 29th March, starting at 6.30pm.
Venue: The Red Rattler Theatre, Marrickville.
Cost: $10 ($5 concession).

If you would like to participate by reading out your own poetry at the event, check out the submission guidelines.
More information about this event will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned at this webpage: www.sydneyfeminists.org/woman-scream

All enquiries should be sent to the festival director, Ms Saba Vasefi, at [email protected] “

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

About AWAVA Secretariat