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It is with sadness that we inform you that Amy Blain AWAVA’s Program Manager has resigned. Amy has been on parenting leave and has made the difficult decision to not return to AWAVA. Amy felt it was time to move on, seeking new challenges and opportunities in the preventing violence against women sector. Amy has been an amazing Program Manager for AWAVA over the last 18 months and we are all sad to see her go. We wish her all the very best for whatever she decides to do in the future. Amy has been integral in establishing AWAVA as a sound and strong National Women’s Alliance focusing on all forms of violence against women and their children. Staff, the AWAVA Advisory Committee and the WESNET Committee as lead agency of AWAVA thank you Amy and wish you all the very best for the future. Amy passes on her thanks and gratitude to you all  and has thoroughly enjoyed her position with AWAVA.  If you would like to contact Amy her personal email is here.

Around the nation

• In this powerful article, a survivor writes about their journey through emotional abuse
• This piece presents a cogent argument for why ‘Zoe’s Law’ should not pass into legislation

Around the world

• In the UK, TV star Chris Fountain has been sacked after videos were released showing the 25-year-old rapping about sexual violence 
• Indian journalist Deepanjana Paul writes that the recent gang rape of a young photo journalist in Mumbai on 22^nd August 2013, “violates all women”
• This article from The Guardian shines a spotlight on the important role police reform must play in ending spiralling violence against women in India
• In Cambodia, a new online mapping tool has been released to assist efforts to track and report incidences of gender-based violence and harness the ability of young  people to shift cultural norms
• American actor and Goodwill Ambassador for the UN High Commission for Refugees, Angelina Jolie, has “urged people to join in the fight against sexual violence in warzones” 
• Also in the US, Facebook Executive Sheryl Sandberg’s book ‘Lean In’ was critiqued “as a manual for navigating the workplace” and a book that “teaches women more about how to serve their companies than it teaches companies about how to be fairer places for women to work”

Publications and Resources

• In the US, the National Network to End Domestic Violence has released its ‘Privacy and Safety on Facebook – A Guide for Survivors of Abuse’

Get Involved!

• AWAVA sister National Women’s Alliance, the Equality Rights Alliance, has released the Housing Stress-O-Meter – a two minute online survey designed to uncover hidden housing stress in Australian communities. The intersections between women and children’s experiences of violence and the enhanced vulnerability that housing stress creates means this is incredibly important work
• The National Rural Women’s Coalition, also one of the National Women’s Alliances, has  opened registration to its free monthly webinar series ‘A Cuppa With’ where rural women can listen to inspiration and like-minded women without leaving home
• The National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) will be coordinating National Child Protection Week 2013 running from 1-7 September 2013.  Event registration is now open
• Registration for the 2nd National LGBTIQ Domestic and Family Violence Conference ‘Stronger links for safer communities, because it’s all of our business’ has opened and the conference will be hosted in Surry Hills, NSW from Sept 19th-20th, 2013

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

The AWAVA team spent last week in Melbourne coordinating the 2013 Advisory Group Members’ Symposium. From Mon 12 – Wed 14 August, delegates contributed their expertise to lively discussions shaping the national agenda to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence. We heard exciting updates from our state and territory representatives. Also, we enjoyed highly informative sessions with guest speakers CEO of the White Ribbon Foundation Libby Davies and Emeritus Professor Anne Edwards, AO, from the National Centre of Excellence. It was a productive, meaningful and re-energising three days. Furthermore, it was an opportunity to celebrate our achievements and re-affirm our collective commitment to ending violence against women. We would like to thank everyone who was involved for their time and passion.

Importantly, we would also like to thank you, our readers, for the pivotal role you play in harnessing and amplifying the global effort to keep women and children safe.

As campaigning for the federal election intensifies, social commentary must commit itself to moving away from political rhetoric. As the election date edges closer, AWAVA remains aware that violence against women and children will cost the Australian economy $15.6 billion per year by 2021-2022 unless effective action is taken to prevent this violence. Violence against women and girls is both a cause and consequence of gender inequality in all sectors of society. Hence, it must be addressed by promoting women’s empowerment and listening to the diversity of their experiences with commitment, integrity and respect.

Attendees of the 2013 Advisory Group Members’ Symposium standing in solidarity to support the joint National Women’s Alliances Project – Women Vote 2013

Around the nation

• From Canberra, the National Women’s Alliance’s independent ‘how to vote’ videos for the Senate and House of Representatives have been translated into Greek, Italian, Arabic and Chinese as part of the Women Vote 2013 campaign, which encourages women to use their vote in an independent, informed and effective way
• The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse will hold a public hearing in Sydney on Monday 16 September 2013
• In Victoria, Disability Services and Reform Minister Mary Wooldridge announced a new initiative that “provides immediate access to funds to meet the disability support needs of women and children experiencing a family-violence crisis, enabling them to remain safe in their home or to access family-violence crisis accommodation” and among others, the Minister acknowledged the fantastic work of one of AWAVA’s member organisations, Women with Disabilities Australia

Around the world

• The International News Safety Institute launched a global survey into violence against female journalists and have invited all women working in the news media to participate
• In the Pacific Islands, 26 representatives from six Pacific Island countries came together in a five-day regional workshop to combat violence against women. Meeting on the International Day of Youth, attendees believe that empowering young people is a vital way to end the intergenerational cycle of violence in homes and communities across the Pacific region
• A new study found that in Papua New Guinea, 70% of women will be raped or physically assaulted in their lifetime
• In the USA, an article in the Journal of Women’s Health found that the best-selling novel ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ actually perpetuates the problem of violence against women despite its promotion as a tale of erotic romance

Publications and Resources

• The Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse has released a new paper called ‘Improving responses to refugees with backgrounds of multiple trauma’

Get Involved!

• The National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) will be coordinating National Child Protection Week 2013 running from 1-7 September 2013.  Event registration is now open.

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

Today was the first day of the AWAVA members’ symposium. Advisory Group members flew in from across the country meet in Melbourne. This time will be used to help harness and amplify cross-sectoral and cross-jurisdictional efforts to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence. We are very excited to host two exceptional guest speakers – CEO of the White Ribbon Foundation Libby Davies and Emeritus Professor Anne Edwards AO.

Watch this space for progress. Follow us on facebook and twitter for live updates!

Around the nation

• Darwin’s only frontline NGO specialising in sexual assault services, Ruby Gaea Darwin Centre Against Rape, was granted $40,000 until Dec 2013 by the NT Government as part of possible first steps towards an territory-wide strategy to combat violence against women
• The joint National Women’s Alliances campaign ‘Priorities for Women’ was featured in Future Politicians following their interview with Program Manager for Equality Rights Alliance Helen Dalley-Fisher
• In WA, Attorney General Michael Mischin requested the first ever comprehensive review victim/survivors’ experiences of the criminal justice system
• McDonald’s Australia brokered a watershed agreement giving their 85,000 employees to access domestic violence leave
• Furthermore, Swinburne University  of Technology finalised a new Enterprise Agreement with the National Tertiary Education Union increasing workplace protections and entitlements for those experiencing domestic violence
• In NSW, the recently formed NSW Domestic and Family Violence Council, which advises government on relevant policy and programs, appointed eight non-government representatives to its existing government membership
• NSW Minister for Women Pru Goward announced a new $1.5 million partnership between Family and Community Services and TAFE NSW to provide education, training and professional development for frontline workers assisting victims/survivors of domestic and family violence
• A two-year research project from the University of Technology Sydney added to the body of evidence confirming that victim/survivors of childhood abuse experience increased rates of chronic health conditions in later life

Around the world

• In Japan, advocates for a United Nations-proclaimed day of remembrance for wartime sex slaves (known as ‘comfort women’) organised a symposium to spearhead their campaign to end wartime sexual assault
• In Fiji, Vanuakula Village took unprecedented steps towards empowering women and communities to overcome gender-based violence because they recognised, “true development cannot be achieved without empowering the women as they are the key agents of change in their communities”
• In the US, news outlet MSNBC cast a critical eye over the most recent moves from the Pentagon to combat sexual assault within its ranks by drafting six new executive actions
• In Canada, growing concerns over the prevalence of violence against women and girls, especially in Indigenous populations, spiralled to new heights with a crucial visit from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Publications and Resources

• The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute published a research and policy bulletin entitled ‘Issue 164: Preventing homelessness for women and children who have experience domestic and family violence’
• The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault released a new publication called ‘The role of forensic medical evidence in the prosecution of adult sexual assault’
• The National Online Resource Centre for Violence Against Women produced a new resource, ‘Special Collection: Preventing and Responding to Domestic Violence in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Queer (LGBTQ) Communities’

Get Involved!

• AWAVA Member Organisation, the Association of Women Educators (AWE), circulated a Community Engagement Survey to better understand and respond to the needs and interests of their current and potential members

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

This week, AWAVA attended consultations in Canberra for the new national Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children. AWAVA is excited to embark on this process and welcomes the valuable additions this new foundation will create to complement  the ongoing efforts of the women’s services sector. AWAVA circulated a media release commending the new foundation.

AWAVA Chairperson, Julie Oberin, attended the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) Safety Net Project Technology Summit 2013 in California, USA. This summit provided “a unique training opportunity focussing on the various complex issues and concerns that come from the intersection of technology and domestic and sexual violence, stalking and trafficking.”  Exciting outcomes included new online privacy and safety guidelines for victim/survivors.

Finally, the federal election was called by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for 7 September 2013. As political campaigning intensifies, AWAVA continues to encourage women to use their vote in an effective, informed and independent manner. This election is a critical chance for all Australian citizens to have their voices heard. For apolitical, bipartisan information on how to vote, please check out the women vote website. This site is the lynchpin of the National Women’s Alliances ‘Priorities for Women’ campaign.

Around the nation

• In the Canberra Times , Chair of the Foundation to Prevent Violence Against Women and their Children, Natasha Stott Despoja, continues to speak out against domestic, family and sexual violence and highlights the importantance of primary prevention
• In Victoria, activist and advocate Angela Barker continued to raise awareness about violence against women by sharing her incredible personal story during a visit to students at Kurnai College in the LaTrobe Valley
• The first picture of Tracy Connelly, who was brutally murdered in St Kilda, was released by her partner of 19 years Tony Melissovas, in preparation for a candelight vigil near their home and also to “honour her memory and help share her story with the world”.
  
  

Around the world

• In the US, Soraya Chemaly delivered a searing analysis of the social myths and harmful narratives that erupted in response to the sentencing of Cleveland kidnapper, rapist and murderer, Arial Castro
• In Burma, the Myanmar Times covered moves by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement to draft laws criminalising domestic violence and hence strengthen the fight to shift cultural norms with assistance from a network of 98 women’s groups called the  Gender Equality Network (GEN)
• In South Africa, teachers in Mpumalanga lobbied the government to extend the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign to 365 days and called “on educators and pupils at the school to continue taking education seriously as it assists in eradicating various social ills that lead to criminal behaviour”
• In the US, this insightful opinion piece acknowledged the steps forward taken by President Barack Obama but critiqued the shortfall in current efforts to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence
• In the US, at a summit attended by AWAVA Chair Julie Oberin, the National Network to End Domestic Violence and Facebook partnered to create new online guidelines for privacy and safety aimed at assisting victim/survivors of abuse
• In Spain, the Council of Ministers announced that 1.54 billion euros will be spent over the next three years to fund a National Strategy for the eradication of violence against women  and Vice-President Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría said this is an “ambitious and most comprehensive project which will ensure that Spain remains at the forefront of what is being done by the European Union to protect women”

Publications and Resources

• As part of Homeless Persons Week running from 5-11 August 2013, Homelessness Australia released an informative publication illuminating the intersection between homelessness and domestic and family violence

Get Involved!

• The Faculty of Law UNSW has partnered with Victim Services from the Department of Attorney-General and Justice NSW to conduct a study into the participation of victims of crime in NSW court processes. They are investigating and evaluating how the needs of victims of crime can be best served by the NSW criminal justice system. Part of their study involves a survey where victim/survivors will be asked about their engagement with court processes but not about the personal details of the particular crime they experienced. All survey responses will remain confidential. To participate, please follow this link
• The 2013 Anti-Slavery Australia Freedom Awards are calling for nominations. These awards “will recognise outstanding work and contributions to initiatives against slavery, slavery-like practices, including forced labour and forced marriage, and human trafficking” and they close on 9 August 2013
• The National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) will be coordinating National Child Protection Week 2013 running from 1-7 September 2013.  Event registration is now open.

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

This week, AWAVA have been following up on the joint National Women’s Alliances Campaign ‘Priorities for Women‘. As part of AWAVA’s ‘Priorities for Women’ activities, we sent letters to all major parties asking them about their policies for addressing violence against women and girls; their views of the challenges; their commitment to the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their funding commitments. Please follow the link to read party responses.

Around the nation

• The Women’s Law Centre of WA and Relationships Australia embarked on a joint venture to establish a centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims of domestic and sexual violence

• RSPCA NSW continued to kick goals with its Safe Beds for Pets program that was established (in 2010) to provide temporary housing for pets of people seeking refuge from domestic violence and to address the link between animal and human abuse and child protection

• In Ballarat, community leaders threw their weight behind the “It’s Up To Us” campaign from the Courier Mail to educate, inform and explore community opinions on domestic violence

• In Victoria, police will establish two family violence units in Wodonga and Wangaratta. Both units will have a dedicated sergeant and two officers to work with the victims of family violence.

• A new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare states that in the 6 month period from July to December 2012, more than 157,000 clients accessed specialist homelessness services and the “most common main reason given for seeking assistance was ‘domestic and family violence‘”.

Around the world

• In the US, Senator Claire McCaskill delivered a fiery but considered response to an alarming article in the Wall Street Journal falsely portraying feminsist analyses of sexual assault in the military as “histrionic” and “criminalising male sexuality”

• In Egypt, “human rights and women’s groups have condemned the “horrific levels” of sexual violence against women in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, with reports of 101 sex attacks amid the latest wave of protest”

• Lakshmi Puri,  Acting Head of UN Women and Assistant Secretary-General, writes that  the struggle to end violence against women and girls requires “strong efforts by civil society organizations and the global women’s movement to remind both national governments and international organizations that words are not enough, that a few actions are not enough, that we must aim high and keep on moving forward”.

• Violence against women: a global health problem of epidemic proportions – The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently reported that more than one third of all women are affected by physical or sexual violence.

• Social media giant Facebook has announced that “it will no longer allow ads to appear on pages with sexual or violent content“. Advocacy campaign, Women Action and the Media report that “this new policy will protect advertisers, but do nothing for users“.

Publications and Resources

• AWAVA member organisation, The Association of Women Educators (AWE) have published a resource for teachers on sexuality education called “Everyone is Special”
  

• Legal Aid NSW have published a resource for people experiencing domestic and family violence

• In the UK, The Crown Prosecution Service has published “findings from a four-month research project on domestic violence cases where the victim refused to engage or withdrew from the criminal justice process. The research aimed to identify further information as to why victims refuse to engage with the prosecution process; current measures taken to try to involve victims in this process and address their safety; the most effective way to ensure a successful conviction; and further steps that could be taken to improve conviction outcomes and victim safety”

Get Involved!

• UN Women Experts Roster– Please follow the link to register as an expert on gender issues and to register your interest in collaborating with UN women by taking part in evaluation assignments and thus contributing to “accountability and learning on UN Women’s mandate for gender equality and women’s empowerment”

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

This week, AWAVA Chairperson, Julie Oberin, presented a paper Women, Children And Homelessness: Taking The National Challenge Seriously and a workshop on Women And Homelessness at the National Homelessness Summit. Parliamentary Secretary for Homelessness and Social Housing Melissa Parke  met with key stakeholders at the National Homelessness Summit in Sydney to discuss approaches and innovation in tackling homelessness. “This summit is a great opportunity to share ideas and look at innovative projects underway to support some of our most vulnerable Australians,” Ms Parke said.

20-24 May, 2013 was National Cyber Security Awareness Week. National Cyber Security Awareness Week is an annual Australian Government initiative aimed at helping Australians using the Internet. For resources on cyber safety, do have a look at WESNET’s Safety Net resources, WESNET is the only organisation in Australia that delivers training developed by US sister organisation National Network to End Domestic Violence’s Technology Safety Project, also see Women’s Aid UK’s guide to technology risks and cyber stalking, and Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria’s technology safety planning guide.

Around the Country

• AWAVA supported the urgent appeal to the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women regarding the Victims’ Rights and Support Bill
• The Victorian Coalition Government has allocated $76,000 to improve the safety of women in mental health care at Mildura Base Hospital.
• National Centre of Excellence to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (NCE) announcement of three eminent women to the NCE Board: Emeritus Professor Regina Graycar (NSW), Ms Victoria Hovane (Western Australia), and Ms Shirley Slann (Queensland)
• Hume Council joins forces with organisations across Melbourne’s north pledging action to combat violence against women and girls
• NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell has announced that the NSW government would draft proposed changes to the State’s provocation laws over the next few months
• NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith last week introduced changes to victims compensation laws: “victims of sexual abuse could be barred from seeking compensation”

Around the World

• An open letter to Facebook is currently circulating demanding “comprehensive and effective action addressing the representation of rape and domestic violence“. UK based writer Kira Cochrane replies “here’s hoping the message gets through this time”
• “The number of women jailed in Afghanistan for “moral crimes“ such as fleeing abusive husbands has risen sharply, Human Rights Watch (HRW) says
• In this article, Samuel CL Jones talks about his journey on becoming a ‘male feminist‘ and the ‘life-changing potential of feminism’
• In this article from the UK, Jane Martinson argues that Maria Stubbings’ murder “shows failure of society and officialdom in acting on domestic violence“
• In the USA, this article from the Washington Times says that “domestic violence is not only on the rise, it is pandemic“

Reports and Resources

• Women’s Health, Goulburn North East have launched a series of postcards, aimed at raising awareness of financial abuse that you can download, or order hard copies
• In this report from the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearing House, the researchers argue that “the gender debate is one of the enduring controversies in domestic violence research”
• The National Children’s and Youth Law Centre has completed their project Multi-Agency Response Guidelines on the Forced Marriage of Children. The research report and Guidelines are expected to be available shortly.
• On 21 May, 2013 the Australian Human Rights Commission launched the new online interactive toolkit, Women in male-dominated industries: A toolkit of strategies. The toolkit is complemented by an interactive website providing a forum for continued discussion and development of strategies for increasing women’s participation in male-dominated industries.  In launching the Women in male-dominated industries: A toolkit of strategies,  The Hon Julie Collins MP, Minister for the Status of Women said: ” This is about providing employers and businesses with the depth of talent needed to address skills shortages.  It is also about economic and social equity. Something this timely toolkit will help achieve”

Get involved!

If you haven’t already, please can you complete the Stop The Violence Project survey by 31 May.  The project is keen to hear from domestic violence and sexual assault services on how to improve service delivery for women with disabilities that experience violence.  It should only take 30 minutes to complete: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XHKDDVD.

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