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This week, violence against women has dominated many news headlines, with stories of people coming together to mourn the death of Jillian Meagher. Here are a few of the articles that crossed our virtual desks:

• Keeping Women Safe is Everyone’s Responsibility says Jerril Rechter from VicHealth
• The greenleft published this article stating ‘Women Are Not to Blame‘
• Melinda McPherson explains on newmatilda.com Why Women Claim Public Spaces As Our Own

Around the Nation

• Victorian police are trying new ways of investigating and understanding sexual assaults
• A new study highlights the number of women trafficked for sex work in Melbourne and Sydney
• This article reinforces the need to stop the forced sterilisation of women and girls with disability
• On 26 September, the State Opposition in Western Australia (WA) tabled legislation to double the maximum penalty for domestic assaults resulting in death, to a 20-year sentence.  For more information see AWAVA member website: Women’s Council For Domestic and Family Violence Services (WA)

Internationally

• During the week,  on 2 October, the UN  International Day of Non-Violence was acknowledged; to read the Secretary-General’s message click here
• Important progress has been made in Afghanistan, with officials confirming that “”running away”” (usually to escape domestic violence) is not a crime
• In Kenya, an important new ‘Alternative Rite of Passage’ sees young women not undergoing Female Genital Mutilation
• Egyptian women are becoming increasingly concerned about their rights, and threats to their lives
• Finally, a global study has found that strong feminist movements are the key to reducing violence against women

Get Involved

• The Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service Victoria is urging individuals to sign their online petition against funding cuts to their Sisters Day Out program in this year™s May budget
• Deakin University’s School of Psychology is inviting migrant women to participate in an anonymous online survey about their experience with domestic violence
• Friend & Supporter Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria is seeking input through an online survey from workers supporting women who have experienced domestic violence and/or stalking as part of a study into the use of mobile technologies and devices in the context of family violence

Resources

New Resources

• ASCA™s Practice Guidelines for Treatment of Complex Trauma and Trauma Informed Care and Service Delivery have now been released and are available for download here
• Women™s Legal Services NSW launched a new secure web site Ask LOIS providing a free legal online information service for community workers in New South Wales who are rural and regionally based and are responding to women with legal needs

Upcoming Events

New!!

• Lunch & panel discussion in Sydney for the UN Day of the Girl Child on Thursday 11 October
• The Annual Silent Domestic Violence Memorial March will be held Friday 23 November

October

• 7 October: 2-5pm, Melbourne, Women’s International Solidarity Australia are screening Dreams of Dutiful Daughters about Burmese women™s lives, showing the vulnerability of women in poverty crossing the border to Thailand and their to exposure to exploitation and violence including sex trafficking.  Cost $15-$25.  Bookings are essential RSVP.
• Registration open until 15 October: Standing firm for change: a journey to justice is a national conference run by the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service Victoria. The conference will be held on 21-23 November 2012, in Melbourne.
• WESNET’s Safety Net Technology Safety Training is coming to Canberra 31 October and 1 November – click here for more information and to register

November

• The No To Violence conference is in November 2012
• Law Enforcement and Public Health Conference in Melbourne, November 2012
• The First National Sexual and Reproductive Health Conference will be held 20-21 November
• 23 November 2012:  Not1More/White Ribbon Day – White Ribbon Day activities in Melbourne include awareness-raising, White Ribbon Lunch, Walk Against Family Violence at 2pm, Not1more will be remembering victims of family violence and offering the opportunity for people to take the White Ribbon Oath in Federation Square, Melbourne
• 26-28 November 2012:  Pathways to Change Conference for practitioners and policy developers to explore practice responses to children and young people displaying Problem Sexualised Behaviour and Sexually Abusive Behaviour.  The conference is being held in Hobart, Tasmania, register now.

Later

• 21 March 2013: Australian Women’s Coalition is calling young women between 18 – 30 years who live, study or work in Auburn, Bankstown, Liverpool or Coffs Harbour NSW, or in Canberra, ACT to be a part of SHOUT!  A series of three free workshops will run in each location, complemented by an online network of support and skills-sharing and a local network of participants and AWC member organisations. The workshops will culminate in community events on Harmony Day next year, . Find out more here
• Save the date: 28-30 April 2013 – The Australian Migrant and Refugee Women’s Alliance (AMaRWA) will be holding a 2 day national conference on the elimination of violence against culturally and linguistically diverse women, supported by AWAVA.  Put it in your diary!
• ‘Miss Representation’ Screening Tour: Women in Film & Television (WIFT) NSW are planning a series of screenings of ‘Miss Representation’ across Australia in 2012/13. If you are interested in hosting a screening of this film in partnership with WIFT NSW please email them

Internationally:

• 17-20 October, London, UK: 14th Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) Conference: Stop Violence Against Women – Whose voices? Whose needs? Whose decisions?
• 7-9 November, Vancouver: 2012 National Research Day conference hosted by the FREDA Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children (School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University), in partnership with the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia (EVA BC), the Canadian Observatory on the Justice System™s Response to Intimate Partner Violence, and the BC Society of Transition Houses
• 4-15 March 2013: 57th Session of the Commission for the Status of Women (CSW57), New York, priority theme: Eliminating and prevention all forms of violence against women and girls

This week, the Federal Government have made several announcements  relating to the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (National Plan) and its implementation.

AWAVA welcomes the release of the first stage Implementation Plan and its strong focus on primary prevention, working to increase gender equality to prevent violence from occurring in the first place, driving attitudinal change and building a solid evidence base:.

AWAVA™s Chair, Julie Oberin, comments: œWe need strong leadership from federal, state and territory governments, close collaboration with the preventing violence against women sector and real drive behind the National Implementation Plan. We are pleased that ending violence against women is a key priority for the Government and to see the commitment given to sharing information and good practice, and working together across jurisdictions and sectors

Here is a round-up of media releases relating to the National Plan:

• Media releases from AWAVA and the Office for Women on the National  Implementation Plan can be accessed here
• Prime Minister Gillard announced plans for a National Centre of Excellence to Reduce Violence Against Women while at the UN
• Young Australian’s learning not to cross the line on violence (media release)
• Minister Collins says the Implentation Plan is a key step in reducing violence against women
• The full National Implementation Plan can be accessed here

The Australian Government submitted their interim Report to the CEDAW Committee this week, we’ll post this on the AWAVA website when it’s publsihed on the CEDAW website.  AWAVA is particularly pleased to see the agreement to work with governments and community partners to develop a framework and methodology for evaluating the impact of the National Plan.  

In other news around the country

• Hey Sister is a new project being launched in NSW aimed at ending sexual assault in NSW Aboriginal communities
• In Queensland, new domestic and family violence legislation has been introduced – access fact sheets on the changes
• Read this interesting article on Female Genital Mutilation written by Dr Deborah Bateson from Family Planning NSW
• This article examines the media and on-line commentary surrounding the recent disappearance of Jill Meagher – most of it victim-blaming
• Read and share this open letter from the Community Legal Centres NSW, supported by AWAVA and members organisations, to the NSW Attorney General on victims compensation
• Women experiencing Domestic and Family Violence are the main users of homelessness services, and this increases with remoteness according to this report

Internationally

• At a UN General Assembly side meeting, Nations have been urged to pledge funding to help stop rape as a weapon of war
• The UN released this report on violence against women with disabilities
• Join the One Billion Rising campaign to end violence against women:  watch this YouTube clip to see why stars such as Robert Redford have joined the campaign
• This Q&A with Maxine Marcus looks at justice for women and gender-based violence (takes time to load)

Get Involved!!

Submissions are now being called for into the Senate inquiry into forced or coerced sterilisation of people with disabilities.  To find out more and get involved –click here (requires Facebook login)

Upcoming Events

October

• 2 October: Everyone™s Business: developing workplace programs for the primary prevention of violence against women , register on-line now
• 4 October:  Women in Film & Television (WIFT) NSW is celebrating their 30th Anniversary by hosting a special screening of the documentary ‘Miss Representation’, 5.30pm: Meet & Mingle + Drinks, 6.30pm: Screening & Forum at Dendy Opera Quays, Circular Quay, Sydney.  Buy tickets here ($30-$40)
• 7 October: 2-5pm, Melbourne, Women’s International Solidarity Australia are screening Dreams of Dutiful Daughters about Burmese women™s lives, showing the vulnerability of women in poverty crossing the border to Thailand and their to exposure to exploitation and violence including sex trafficking.  Cost $15-$25.  Bookings are essential RSVP.
• Registration open until 15 October: Standing firm for change: a journey to justice is a national conference run by the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service Victoria. The conference will be held on 21-23 November 2012, in Melbourne.
• WESNET’s Safety Net Technology Safety Training is coming to Canberra 31 October, 1 November – click here for more information and to register

November

• The No To Violence conference is in November 2012
• Law Enforcement and Public Health Conference in Melbourne, November 2012
• The First National Sexual and Reproductive Health Conference will be held 20-21 November
• 23 November 2012:  Not1More/White Ribbon Day – White Ribbon Day activities in Melbourne include awareness-raising, White Ribbon Lunch, Walk Against Family Violence at 2pm, Not1more will be remembering victims of family violence and offering the opportunity for people to take the White Ribbon Oath in Federation Square, Melbourne
• 26-28 November 2012:  Pathways to Change Conference for practitioners and policy developers to explore practice responses to children and young people displaying Problem Sexualised Behaviour and Sexually Abusive Behaviour.  The conference is being held in Hobart, Tasmania, register now.

Later

• 21 March 2013: Australian Women’s Coalition is calling young women between 18 – 30 years who live, study or work in Auburn, Bankstown, Liverpool or Coffs Harbour NSW, or in Canberra, ACT to be a part of SHOUT!  A series of three free workshops will run in each location, complemented by an online network of support and skills-sharing and a local network of participants and AWC member organisations. The workshops will culminate in community events on Harmony Day next year, . Find out more here
• Save the date: 28-30 April 2013 – The Australian Migrant and Refugee Women’s Alliance (AMaRWA) will be holding a 2 day national conference on the elimination of violence against culturally and linguistically diverse women, supported by AWAVA.  Put it in your diary!
• ‘Miss Representation’ Screening Tour: Women in Film & Television (WIFT) NSW are planning a series of screenings of ‘Miss Representation’ across Australia in 2012/13. If you are interested in hosting a screening of this film in partnership with WIFT NSW please email them

Internationally:

• 17-20 October, London, UK: 14th Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) Conference: Stop Violence Against Women – Whose voices? Whose needs? Whose decisions?
• 7-9 November, Vancouver: 2012 National Research Day conference hosted by the FREDA Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children (School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University), in partnership with the Ending Violence Association of British Columbia (EVA BC), the Canadian Observatory on the Justice System™s Response to Intimate Partner Violence, and the BC Society of Transition Houses
• 4-15 March 2013: 57th Session of the Commission for the Status of Women (CSW57), New York, priority theme: Eliminating and prevention all forms of violence against women and girls