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So far AWAVA Secretariat has created 504 blog entries.

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] “

Working with Men: strategies and challenges in engaging men in building non violence and gender equality

“March 27 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm | $180 (incl GST)

Efforts to engage men in preventing men’s violence against women are gaining momentum around the country and the world.

Men are becoming involved as participants in education programs, targets of social marketing, activists and advocates, and policy makers and leaders.

First then, what do we know about effective practice in engaging men in violence prevention? What works, and what doesn’t?

Second, what are the challenges and controversies of this work?

In this interactive workshop, you will gain insights about engaging men, learn about best practice, and address dilemmas and difficulties.

Presenter Details: Dr Michael Flood

Dr Michael Flood is a researcher and educator who has made a significant contribution to both scholarship on and community understanding of violence against women. He has published a wide variety of papers on violence against women, men’s roles in prevention, and gender and sexuality.

Dr Flood also is a trainer, community educator and activist. He has worked with sporting organisations, community services, and governments, participated in international expert meetings, and contributed to social change campaigns.”

For more information and to book, visit: http://www.airs.edu.au/event/workingwithmen_strategiesandchallenges_to/

Program Launch: She Leads

“At the YWCA of Canberra, we know that developing women’s leadership potential is fundamental to advancing gender equality. She Leads is an innovative, evidence-based, nationally accredited women’s leadership development program comprising a diploma of management, and an annual one-day conference.

Come along to the launch event and hear award-winning journalist Sophie McNeill speak about her incredible leadership journey. Executive Director of the YWCA of Canberra, Frances Crimmins will share highlights from the 2013 She Leads program, and Member for Canberra, Gai Brodtmann will provide insights into the importance of investing in women’s leadership, and officially launch the 2014 She Leads program.
Information about the inaugural She Leads conference and the She Leads diploma will be available on the night.

When: Thursday, 27 March 2014
Where: National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Cost: members & students $15, non-members $20, new members + ticket $30

Drinks and canapes provided”

For more information, visit: http://www.ywca-canberra.org.au/

AWAVA Submission: Pre-Budget Submission 2014-2015

AWAVA’s Federal Pre-Budget Submission 2014-2015 emphasizes the need for an increased investment in, and focus on, primary prevention to address violence against women, continued focus on the National Plan and project proposals to assist with the National Plan implementation.

CSW58 Agreed Conclusions!

We are delighted to be able to share with you the Agreed Conclusions from the 58th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

We would also like to share a Statement by the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash on the 58th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women here.

Submissions into the Development of the Second Action Plan

The Department of Social Services recently accepted submissions on the development of the Second Action Plan (2013 – 2016). The Second Action Plan forms part of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-22 (the National Plan), which is a 12-year strategy which aims to bring together Commonwealth, state and territory government efforts, as well as the important work being done by civil society, the business sector and the Australian community more broadly to make a sustained reduction in the levels of violence against women and their children.

The community was invited to answer six questions in furtherance of the development of the Second Action Plan.

AWAVA submitted to the Department, and you can read our submission here.

Repository of Publicly Available Submissions

Women’s Legal Services Australia

Homicide: Precursors and Prevention Conference

“Presented by The Violence Research and Prevention Program, Griffith University

Venue: The Royal on the Park Hotel, Brisbane

Homicide stands alone amid criminal activity both in terms of its severity and the extreme nature of its consequences. At the same time, there is an increasing need to examine and understand the current trends in homicide, why homicides are occurring, and the opportunities for prevention. The theme for our upcoming conference is ‘Homicide: Precursors and Prevention’. The conference program will examine various forms of homicide including infanticide, intimate partner homicide and others, and explore programs and opportunities for preventing such extreme events. Thus, our interest is twofold. First there is a general need to better understand the precursors for homicides and additionally, to also consider how these events can be prevented or controlled.”

For more, please follow the link: http://www.griffith.edu.au/conference/homicide-precursors-prevention

Weekly Round-Up * 21 March

Welcome once again to AWAVA’s Weekly Round-Up. Last week, many news items have focused on what happens after a woman or girl has experienced violence. AWAVA strongly highlights the need for primary prevention of violence against women and the parallel obligation to support women victims and survivors. In other news, our delegates from The fifty-eighth session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women will be back shortly, we are excited to share more information about their participation and engagement in the coming weeks! We also thank the Australian Government Delegation, headed by the Hon. Minister Senator Michaelia Cash, for their excellent advocacy at the Commission to ensure gender equality and the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls is front and centre of the Post 2015 agenda. To read the Hon. Minister’s National Statement at the Commission on the Challenges and Achivements in the Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for women and girls, follow the link

(Australian NGOs at CSW 58 )

Around the Country

‘The Warrnambool Co-ordinator of an Aboriginal family-led decision-making program has lost his job and been placed on a community corrections order after assaulting his partner’
[TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of violence]
Concerns have been raised in NSW about whether new child protection measures would discourage women from seeking help and protection from violence
More charges have been laid in relation to the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in Sydney
Researchers and Indigenous leaders have expressed strong opposition to a Northern Territory proposal to criminally charge women who drink while pregnant
Rachel Olding writes about high rates of domestic violence in rural Australia
Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek has joined calls for certainty on funding for the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH)
There has been controversy in Western Australia following the release from prison of ‘one of WA’s worst sex offenders’

Around the World

In the United States, almost 50,000 people have signed a petition in response to Dartmouth College’s handling of the sexual assault of a student
An ex-model has publicly told her story of being assaulted by photographer Terry Richardson [TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of panic attacks]
In a speech to the UN, Laura Bates has highlighted the fact that sexism and violence against women are more than simply ‘women’s issues’
In Nepal and Bangladesh, sanitation activists are working to eradicate menstrual taboos used to justify the abuse of women
In Belgium, a new law may lead to fines and even prison sentences for sexual harassment, including street sexual harassment
Anndee Hochman writes about the types of comments people make about her young daughter and how they reflect our values and stereotypical images of beauty
A man is in police custody in the United States in relation to the murder of his daughter and her alleged girlfriend
In Egypt for the first time, two men are being prosecuted for performing female genital mutilation (FGM) on one of the men’s daughter, who later died
HIV/AIDS eradication activists have highlighted the key importance of preventing and eliminating violence against women

Research and Reports

Women’s Legal Services NSW have published their report Women Defendants to AVOs: What is their experience of the justice system. The study findings include that over two-thirds of our women clients defending AVOs reported that they were the victims of violence in their relationships. Fewer than 40% of these clients had a final AVO made against them when the case came before the court. In the majority of cases where women were defending AVOs, the other party’s complaint related to a single incident only. In several of these cases injuries to the other party could be indicative of self-defense, such as scratching or biting on the arm or hand. The report calls for others to gather data about women defendants of AVOs so there is an evidence base with which to inform policy and legal practice in the area of domestic violence and intervention orders.
From NUI Galway and Rape Crisis Network Ireland: ‘Young People, Alcohol and Sex: What’s Consent Got To Do With It?’

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

Weekly Round-Up * 14 March

This week, as well as bringing you news from around the preventing violence against women sector, AWAVA has had the privilege of seeing our four delegates to CSW 58 in New York engage in highly productive and exciting panels and events. You can read more about AWAVA’s activities here, as well as on our Facebook page and Twitter feed.

(AWAVA Delegates at CSW 58 with Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women)

This week has also been marked by a high number of reports and significant research being released around the world. It is after all through the sharing of knowledge and expertise that many important aspects of violence against women can be addressed.