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Weekly Round-up* 22 June

Many of you will remember a few weeks ago AWAVA asking you to sign an on-line petition to strip a man of a bravery medal awarded after the Black Saturday fires – a man who was convicted of severely assaulting his partner and currently serving time in prison. This week, we are happy to share with everyone that the petition was presented with over 18000 signatures, and the award has been revoked – to read more, click here

AWAVA joined several of its Advisory Group member organisations in writing to the Attorney General advocating for the inclusion of domestic violence as a ground of discrimination in the consolidated Commonwealth Anti-Discrimination Laws.

In other news around Australia:

  • Defence Minister, Stephen Smith, has released the Executive Summary of Volume 1 of  the DLA Piper report into allegations of sexual abuse in the Defence Force
  • Geelong Football Club has been quick to taken action as one of their players is accused of assaulting a woman – read more here
  • Minister for the Status of Women, Julie Collins MP, has announced new support for women who have been affected by Family Violence on provisional partner visas
  • A new report says that Australia is leading the region in combatting human trafficking but there is still more to be done.  The UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking report from the Mission to Australia is now available

Internationally:

  • A new study in the USA showed that adult lesbian and same-sex attracted women are much more likely to report childhood and adult sexual abuse than women who identify as heterosexual
  • In Iraq, laws criminalising domestic violence and female genital mutiliation have done little to change attitudes, and prevention and education are needed for real change, according to this article by Amelie Herenstein
  • At the Rio +20 UN Women Leaders Forum, in her opening remarks Michelle Bachelet says “”we need to turn words in to action…  Action so that violence against women and girls is turned into new attitudes that promote zero tolerance for these crimes and zero impunity””

Our Thanks

A big thankyou to everyone that took time out of their busy lives to complete the CEDAW survey. We have had some excellent, thought-out and thought-provoking responses which will inform the NGO CEDAW report that we will complete and circulate for comment next month. Keep and eye out on our website for updates!

Upcoming Events

NEW!!

  • Launch of NUS Safe Events Respectful Clubs and Societies program, in Canberra 10 July  – find out more
  • National Rural Women’s Conference 2013 has a call for abstracts closing 6 July

Still Time to Register

This Month

  • WIRE Women™s Information is offering free workshops to women who have experienced financial control in a family violence situation in Preston and Stawell on 27 June.  Please note these workshops are unsuitable for women currently in crisis situations

July

  • The Association of Women Educators conference being held 3-5 July 2012 – for details and registration click here
  • The Equality Rights Alliance will be conducting FREE Federal Budget training in Alice Springs 23rd July – click  here to learn more and register now!!
August

Later 

  • Take action on Peace Day 21 September, and become part of the largest gathering of people in the name of Peace and non violence. Watch the youtube clip here
  • The No To Violence conference in November 2012
  • The 7th Womens Health Conference will be held in Sydney in 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, 21 March 2013. Find out more here

 

 

 

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Advocating for Inclusion of DV as Ground of Discrimination

AWAVA joined several of our Advisory Group member organisations in writing to the Attorney-General on 21 June in support of including domestic violence as a ground of discrimination in the consolidated Commonwealth Anti-Discrimination Laws.

In January 2012, AWAVA formally endorsed and supported the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse (ADFVC) submission to the Attorney-General’s Department.

AWAVA firmly agrees with providing an express protection for victims of domestic violence.  The fact that women endure discrimination in the workplace, or in securing accommodation or services, as a consequence of experiencing, or having experienced domestic violence is unacceptable.

Read AWAVA’s letter

Read AWAVA’s endorsement of, and ADFVC’s submission, back in January 2012

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Launch of NUS Safe Events Respectful Clubs and Societies (SERCS)

AWAVA is supporting and endorsing the Safe Events Respectful Clubs and Societies (SERCS) program that has been developed by one of our Advisory Group member organisations, the National Union of Students (NUS), by NUS Women’s Officer, Noni Sproule, in partnership with South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault (SECASA)

SERCS is a resource and training that has been put together to assist clubs and societies and student organisations to run events which are inclusive and safe for all people.  It has been created in recognition of the important role that student organisations play in the creation of culture and community within universities.

The project is being launched by Senator Clare Moore and is supported and endorsed by two of the commonwealth-funded National Women’s Alliances, AWAVA and the Equality Rights Alliance.

Launch Details:

Date:     10 July 2012

Time:    6pm

Where:  Parliament House, Canberra

RSVP:    email: [email protected] by 2 July

Click here for invite

 

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Weekly Round-up* 15 June

Friday, June 15th, was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) – an issue that is becoming more wide-spread in Australia as our population ages, and which particularly affects older women. You can learn more about what elder abuse is here (which includes links to the WHO fact sheets on elder abuse) – and if you have a few minutes, watch this clip that was filmed in Melbourne at last years WEAAD event.

In other news around Australia:

Internationally:

  • A new report shows that with policies that promote gender equality and safeguards against violence and exploitation, Canada is ranked top of the G20 countries to be a woman, with India ranked last. Read the full article here
  • Sparked by the same report, read more about life for women and girls in India in this article
  • In the UK, family members of a woman who kidnapped her in an attempt to force her to marry have been convicted. This article in the Telegraph, debates the effectiveness of making Forced Marriage a crime, with fears that it may pevent vulnerable women from seeking help
  • International attention has been on a Bulgarian fashion magazine that recently published a ‘beauty spread’ with  models being depicted as strangled, mutilated and attacked – read this opinion piece by ex-model Jenna Sauers.

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Have Your Say

What do you think are the priority actions on VAW and for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Women?

We want to know your views on Australia™s performance on, and what Australia™s priorities need to be on these two areas to feed into the NGOs’ report for CEDAW.  Tell us your views by accessing the survey here before 20 June 2012.  Just a few days left!

Read more here

Position Vacant

  • A fixed-term Parental Leave position as Prevention of Violence Against Women Project Coordinator has become available, with the Mt Alexander Shire in Victoria. Please note, applications close 22 June. For more information call Glenn Menner, Manager Community Development on (03) 5471 1818 or see job description here

Resources

New Resource!!

The Central Queensland Family Law Pathway Network has released this guide to online Family Law system resources

Upcoming Events and Training

NEW!!

  • The Equality Rights Alliance will be conducting FREE Federal Budget training in Alice Springs – click  here to learn more and register now!!

Still Time to Register

This Month

  • Sowing the Seeds of Change forum to raise awareness of the effects of family violence on women with disabilities organized by women with disabilities, on 19 June  in Victoria
  • WIRE Women™s Information is offering free workshops to women who have experienced financial control in a family violence situation in June.  Please note these workshops are unsuitable for women currently in crisis situations
  • Michael Flood will assess debates over men’s and women’s experiences of domestic violence at a free seminar He Hits, She Hits in QLD on 22 June  – this talk will also be available via video-link to a number of sites around Australia. Click here for more information and to register

July

  • The Association of Women Educators conference being held 3-5 July 2012 – for details and registration click here
August

Later 

  • Take action on Peace Day 21 September, and become part of the largest gathering of people in the name of Peace and non violence. Watch the youtube clip here
  • The No To Violence conference in November 2012
  • The 7th Womens Health Conference will be held in Sydney in 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, 21 March 2013. Find out more here
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Seeking Endorsements for NGO CEDAW Report

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Show your support and endorse the NGOs’ Follow-Up Report to CEDAW

AWAVA and NATSIWA are seeking endorsement, in part or in full, for the NGOs’ Follow-up Report to the CEDAW Committee’s 2010 Interim Recommendations on addressing violence against women, and actions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women

Show your organisations support for the report by adding your organisation’s endorsement by close on Thursday 9 August, you can email us for a copy of the report.  A final version will be published on our website following submission to the CEDAW Committee in August.

Thank you for your support!

Coordinating NGO CEDAW Report

We asked you what you thought the priority actions on VAW and for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander women were back in June.  Our online survey sought your views on Australia™s performance on actions on violence against women and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children and what Australia™s priorities on violence against women and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women needed to be.

AWAVA and NATSIWA asked for your input into the non-government organisations™ response to the CEDAW July 2010 Concluding Observations recommendations on action on violence against women and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women

So, what™s was the survey for?

The survey assessed NGOs’views of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children and what they thought Australia™s priorities on violence against women and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women needed to be. It was used specifically to produce the NGO report for the CEDAW Committee.  The NGO report provides additional information and an alternative view for the CEDAW Committee when it considers the Australian Government™s response to its July 2010 recommendations.

What is CEDAW?

The United Nations Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW, is an  international treaty that Australia is signatory to.  Many countries around the world, including Australia, signed on to this convention and agreed to try and implement mechanisms in their country to eliminate discrimination against women.

What does it aim to achieve?

The convention aims to:

¢ Eliminate discrimination against women
¢ Achieve substantive equality
¢ Take action in both the public and private spheres
¢ Take action in all areas of women™s lives
¢ Take action for all women
Although violence against women is not specifically included, it is referenced in the CEDAW general recommendations 12 (1989) & 19 (1992) and covered in many of the CEDAW articles (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, 14, 16)

How are countries held to account?

As a signatory to the Convention, the United Nation requires each country to prepare a report around every 4 years about how the government has been implementing policies and programs to meet the conventions requirements. There is a Government report, and a Shadow Report which is prepared by NGOs.  The UN CEDAW Committee reviews these and prepares a report back to each country outlining how it is progressing and makes recommendations on areas for improvement.

When was Australia last reviewed?

In July 2010 the UN CEDAW Committee reviewed the Australian Government™s compliance with CEDAW and how Australia has implemented the treaty into its laws and policies. The committee made two specific recommendations for actions on violence against women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, in its Concluding Observations and requested an update on progress at the 2-year mark, prior to a full review in 2014. The Australian Government has to report back to the CEDAW committee on its progress on these two areas (paragraph 29 and 41) by July 2012

For more information about the 2010 review of Australia and the CEDAW Committee™s other recommendations please see the Australian NGO CEDAW Action Plan.

Why are we doing an NGO report?

The NGO report provides additional information and an alternative view to the CEDAW Committee when it considers Australia™s response to its recommendations. We took NGOs’ views on how policies, programs and practices really work, on what works well and where more needs to be done.  The NGO report is high-level and focussed, capturing the key points raised.

The survey responses helped both AWAVA and NATSIWA capture what the sector and communities want to see on violence against women and actions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, it will also feed into the preparations for the Commission for the Status of Women 57th session in March 2013 where the theme is Elimination and prevention of all forms of volence against women and girls. 

Who coordinated the interim NGO report?

Two of the Commonwealth-funded National Women™s Alliances, AWAVA, and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women™s Alliance, NATSIWA, coordinated the NGO response to the CEDAW recommendations.

 

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Weekly Round-up* – 8 June

This week has seen plenty of focus on violence against women in the news, with the new Family Violence laws and definitions coming into effect this week – if you’ve missed them, we’ve captured a few of these articles below for you:

  • Attorney General, Nicola Roxon, announces changes that will broaden the definition of Family Violence to include stalking, intentional property damage, and harm to pets, reported in the Sydney Morning Herald. The ABC also had this report
  • Also in the SMH, this editorial states that violence…must not be tolerated
  • The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has reported on Australia on the sale of children and children in armed conflict – read the questions asked of Australia and the responses here.   Note: this article contains links to the full Australian report
  • Review of Family Law and Child Support System announced by Andrew Wilkie, see this media release from the National Council for Single Mothers and their Children Inc

Around the World

In other news

  • AWAVA sent a submission in for the Senate Inquiry for the National Children’s Commissioner Bill 2012 welcoming the position
  • An interesting opinion piece on the politics of naming victims and survivors from last week
What do you think are the priority actions on VAW and for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Women?

We want to know your views on Australia™s performance on, and what Australia™s priorities need to be on these two areas to feed into the NGO’s report for CEDAW.  Tell us your views by accessing the survey here before 20 June 2012.  

Read more here

Resources

New Resource!! ACSSA have this week released a new resource/fact sheet Asking women about intimate partner sexual violence – a must read and handy reference for anyone working with women – particularly in the health sector

Get Involved!!

New Petition During the week many of you may have seen this article with the Governor General calling for a  bravery award, given to a man currently serving prison time for assaulting his partner, to be stripped.  A campaign and petition are underway and if you want to join AWAVA and add your signature to the petition, and find out what else you can do to make a difference click here to become involved.

Upcoming Events

Still Time to Register!

This Month

July

  • The Association of Women Educators conference being held 3-5 July 2012 – for details and registration click here
August

Later 

  • Take action on Peace Day 21 September, and become part of the largest gathering of people in the name of Peace and non violence. Watch the youtube clip here
  • The No To Violence conference in November 2012
  • The 7th Womens Health Conference will be held in Sydney in 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, 21 March 2013. Find out more here
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Important Media Release from Attorney General the Hon Nicola Roxon MP

   

 Please see below for an important Media Release from the Attorney General’s office today. It highlights the changes to the Family Law Act, designed to better protect children that are exposed to Family Violence. These changes come into effect today

 

 

THE HON NICOLA ROXON MPAttorney-General
Minister for Emergency Management

MEDIA RELEASE

7 June 2012

new family violence changes take effect

Better protection for children who are exposed to family violence will be available with changes to the Family Law Act that come into effect today.

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said the changes acknowledge the important role of both parents in the upbringing of children while also improving protections for children where family violence is involved.

“These changes place children and their safety front and centre in family law matters,” Ms Roxon said.

“This Government strongly supports a child’s right to a meaningful relationship with both parents where this is safe.

“Unfortunately, more than half of the parenting cases that come to courts involve allegations by one or both parties that the other has been violent.”

The changes to the Family Law Act include:

  • disincentives to disclose family violence to the courts have been removed
  • the definitions of family violence and child abuse have been updated to clearly set out what type of behaviour is unacceptable – such as physical and emotional abuse and the exposure of children to family violence
  • appropriate action is taken to prioritise the safety of children in family law disputes.

Importantly, these changes protect shared care arrangements. This means the Family Law Act will continue to promote a child’s right to a meaningful relationship with both parents, with a stronger emphasise that the child’s safety must come first.

“I am under no illusions about the challenge of tackling family violence in our society,” Ms Roxon said.

“By protecting children that come into contact with our family law system, we are reaching those who have dealings with police, counsellors, lawyers and the courts. But we are also sending a clear message that violence has no place on our society to those many violent family situations in Australia that remain invisible to our legal system.”

“These changes to the law will help reduce the exposure of children to family violence where we know it is happening. This will provide those children with the best opportunity to succeed in life.”

These changes to the Family Law Act follow reports received by the Government from the Australian Institute of Family Studies, the Honourable Professor Richard Chisholm AM, and the Family Law Council.

More information about these changes is available from: www.ag.gov.au/familyviolenceact

For all media enquiries, please contact the Attorney-General’s Office on 02 6277 7300 or 0409 945 476

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Weekly Round-up* 1 June

Welcome to our new subscribers and Happy Official Winter everyone!  Quite a few of you have joined in the past few weeks, and it’s exciting to have our readership grow and know that these important stories are reaching further afield every day. Make sure you share these articles, events and news with your networks or encourage sign-up to the weekly round-up, and remember that if you have something you would like to see in the round-up, send it to [email protected] and we’ll try to include it.

In AWAVA news, the staff and Advisory Group have been busy, some of the recent highlights:

  • presenting via weblink to Amnesty International offices across Australia on 24 May on AWAVA’s work and key messages.  A big thankyou to Amnesty International and the event organisers for inviting us and we look forward to working with Amnesty International in the future
  • attending the Connect, Learn, Share presentation on the 2nd World Conference of Women™s Shelters hosted by the Minister for Women, Joy Burch MLA, on 28 May in ACT (find out more about the 2nd World Conference of Women’s Shelters, held in February, here)
  • receiving training on the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and engaging in the CEDAW review and reporting processes this week – thankyou to our Friend & Supporter, Edwina MacDonald, for being a fantastic, knowledgeable tutor – who patiently answered AWAVA™s Global Engagement and International Mechanisms Working Group’s questions!  If you are one of AWAVA’s Friends & Supporters and would be interested in a CEDAW training session please contact us

and now to the news

Around the nation

Around the world

Resources

  • Changes to the Family Violence Act will come into effect on 7 June – to access quick reference information, factsheets, and answers to FAQs click here to go to the Attorney General’s information page

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Get Involved!

Heard of Lingerie Football? You soon will – it’s on its way to Australia – a form of entertainment (not a sport!) that sees lingerie-clad women playing grid-iron, which is both demeaning to women and puts the women involved at high risk of substantial injury. Collective Shout are asking for your help in petitioning to put a stop to it. Click here to sign the petition and to find out other ways that you can lobby. Read what the Australian Womensport and Recreation Association have to say here, and Kate Lundy’s (Federal Minister for Sports) view here if you want more information.

Upcoming Events and Training

NEW!!!

  • Michael Flood will assess debates over men’s and women’s experiences of domestic violence at a free seminar He Hits, She Hits in QLD on June 22 – this talk will also be available via video-link to a number of sites around Australia. Click here for more information and to register

Still Time to Register!

June

July

  • The Association of Women Educators conference being held 3-5 July 2012 – for details and registration click here
August

Later 

  • Take action on Peace Day 21 September, and become part of the largest gathering of people in the name of Peace and non violence. Watch the youtube clip here
  • The No To Violence conference in November 2012
  • The 7th Womens Health Conference will be held in Sydney in 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, 21 March 2013. Find out more here

Read More

Weekly Round-up* 25 May

This week’s round-up certainly has an international flavour, with all of our articles coming from outside Australia this week.

  • In NZ, Women’s Refuge are still wanting more information on the police statistics of domestic and family violence
  • Anushay Hossain speaks out about rape as a weapon of war in the Bangledesh war of Independence, and the legacy this left
  • Jessica Buchleitner takes a look at the need to ‘destigmatise’ rape and hold rapists to account around the world
  • In South Africa, there is progress being made in ending Ukuthwala – the ‘tradition’ of kidnapping young women and forcing them to marry
  • Still in South Africa, and the disturbing news article that highlights the often increased risk of rape for women with disabilities
  • In post-conflict West Africa, domestic violence is now emerging as the biggest threat to West African women
  • and finally, an interesting article from Rita Banerji, a gender activist and blogger from India

Upcoming Events and Training

NEW!!!

Still Time to Register!

June

July

  • The Association of Women Educators conference being held in July 2012 – for details and registration click here
August

Later 

  • The No To Violence conference in November 2012
  • The 7th Womens Health Conference will be held in Sydney in 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, 21 March 2013. Find out more here

 

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