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As winter well and truly sets in across the southern states, it seems like the perfect time to snuggle up with a warm bowl of soup and take some time out to read what is happening in the VAW sector, both at home and around the world

Around the nation

• AWAVA Advisory Group members Anne Morris and Annie Parkinson attended the launch of the Women™s Statement in Sydney on 15 May. Julie Collins MP, Minister for the Status of Women, outlined some of the Federal Government™s achievements for women, adding that the government intended to work towards further progress next year. Minister Collins launched the document, Women’s Statement 2012 – Achievements and Budget Measures stating that its œnew look was a reflection of the government™s particular concern with women™s issues.  See comments on the 2012-13 Federal Budget from AWAVA’s Chair, Julie Oberin, here
• There has been some controversy over Brisbane’s 2nd SlutWalk, with some of the original core values being overshadowed
• Jocelyn Scutt presents this opinion piece on Women’s Leadership in Politics 
• This interview with Catherine Smith, a survivor of domestic violence, highlights some of the short-falls of the Australian police and justice system.  Catherine was part of the Australian delegation for CSW56 (Commission on the Status of Women) this year and presented at the Australian and Solomon Islands government-sponsored side event on the Impacts of Domestic Violence on Rural Women

And internationally

• In China, a recent NGO survey showed more than half of respondents had been affected by domestic violence
• The UK will host a trilateral meeting with women MPs from Pakistan and Afghanistan, focussing on women in politics, gender diversity and forced marriage
• The CSW56 report with resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission this year is now available – you can access it here

Get Involved

Your chance to make a difference

AWAVA was shocked and disappointed to hear the recent news that one of our Friends & Supporters, Sisters Inside, has been defunded by the Queensland Government.

The National Chair of AWAVA, Julie Oberin, extended the following support to Sisters Inside:

œDebbie Kilroy has been an extremely strong advocate for some of Australia™s most vulnerable women, her work for women in prisons and for Aboriginal women has been amazing and much needed.  AWAVA extends its support to you Debbie, and Sisters Inside, and hopes funding is secured quickly for the vital services you provide.

AWAVA has written a letter of support to the Queensland State Government, urging the reconsideration of this decision. If you want to get involved, (joining over 8,500 supporters at the time of posting) and lend your support, click here to find out how

Have Your Say!

The Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse (ADFVC) invites workers with clients affected by domestic violence, during and after a natural disaster, to participate in an online survey – click here to find out more

Call for Papers

The Biennial Australian Women and Gender Studies Conference (21-23 November 2012) is calling for papers by 27 July – click here to find out more

Upcoming Events!

Still time to register

• The Domestic Violence Resource Centre will hold a forum on their latest discussion paper “”Just Say Goodbye””: parents who kill their children in the context of separation on 31 May, in Melbourne
• Sowing the Seeds of Change is a forum to raise awareness of the effects of family violence on women with disabilities organized by women with disabilities, being held 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
• Homeless Persons Week, running 6 -12 August, recognises that the most common reason clients give for seeking assistance, relates to domestic and family violence
• Dont forget:
• Preventing and responding to violence against women: Issues, challenges and best practice to be held in Adelaide (South Australia) on 15 June 2012
• The Association of Women Educators conference being held in July 2012 – for details and registration click here
• The Violence Against Women Conference on 7,8, 9 August 2012, in Brisbane www.violenceagainstwomenqld.com.au
• 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

The AWAVA crew have had a busy couple of weeks!  The Advisory Group met last week in Melbourne to work on strategic planning and the future direction for the Alliance.  It was very productive with excellent engagement from members across a number of sectors.  JERA International provided Advisory Group members with in-depth, informative training on the operations of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), with a bonus guest presentation by YWCA National on advocacy during CSW56.  AWAVA are preparing for active engagement next year for CSW57’s  theme: Eliminating and preventing all forms of violence against women and girls.

AWAVA was disappointed that the budget announcements last week did not include any new commitments to addressing violence against women and that the recommendations highlighted in AWAVA’s Pre Budget Submissions were not picked up. The Equality Rights Alliance had this response to the budget announcements, highlighting: “”Protecting the Budget surplus will cost Australia financially and socially, as we deal with the fallout of homelessness, poverty, and violence.””

AWAVA’s Chair, Julie Oberin, attended the Intimate Partner Violence and Homicide Conference during the first week of May, and tweeted about her learnings and experience.  If you’re not already following us on twitter, sign up now to AWAVA_Women – we would love your support!

And finally, before we get onto the VAW news, many of you will remember that AWAVA, in partnership with WLSA, and AWAVA Friends & Supporters, campaigned last year for significant changes to the Family Law Act to better protect women and their children. Women’s Legal Services Victoria have produced a quick reference guide on the changes that resulted, so make sure you scroll down to “”New Resource”” to check out what the changes mean.

Now, to the news:

• Australia has been appointed to the UN Women Executive Board, which the Foriegn minister says will further strengthen Australia’s committment to end violence against women – read the media release here
• $3.7 million funding to projects promoting respectful relationships were announced to support the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children, read the press release here
• On 3 May, AWAVA Advisory Group Member, Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services (WA), organised a rally with over 100 attendees and over 2,600 petitions against ˜unlawful assault causing death™ applying in cases where a history of physical violence and abuse can be established
• In Queensland, one of AWAVA’s long-time Friends & Supporters, Sisters Inside , have had all funding cut, despite the excellent work they have been doing with women in prisons, AWAVA has signed a petition in support, you can sign too here

And Internationally

• The UN has condemned Human Trafficking while meeting in Vienna last week
• Around the world, Soraya Chemaly says it’s more dangerous to be a woman than a soldier in modern conflict

Resources

New Resource!!

Women’s Legal Services Victoria have put together a Guide to Family Law Act – to access it, click here

Can you help?

The Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse invites front-line workers responding to clients affected by domestic violence, during and after a disaster, from 2002 onwards including natural disasters (e.g. floods or bushfire), technological/human-made disasters (e.g. mining accidents), mass violence (e.g. massacres), civil conflict (e.g. riots) and terrorism (e.g. bomb explosions),  to participate in a study.  You can fill in the survey online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DV_and_disasters or contact the Clearinghouse at [email protected] or 02 9385 2990 to request a hard copy by post or fax.  The survey closes on Friday 8 June 2012.

 

Upcoming Events

Still time to register

• Australia’s CEO Challenge and Minter Ellison are offering Specialist Training by Stephen Page on Family Law changes and their potential impacts on 14 and 15 May, in Brisbane
• The Domestic Violence Resource Centre will hold a forum on their latest discussion paper “”Just Say Goodbye””: parents who kill their children in the context of separation on 31 May, in Melbourne
• The Women’s Legal Centre ACT presents the Women and Justice Forum 16 May
• Preventing and responding to violence against women: Issues, challenges and best practice to be held in Adelaide (South Australia) on 15 June 2012
• Homeless Persons Week, running 6 -12 August, recognises that the most common reason clients give for seeking assistance, relates to Domestic and Family Violence
• Dont forget the Association of Women Educators conference being held in July 2012 – for details and registration click here
• Violence Against Women Conference – Queensland on 7,8, 9 August 2012, in Brisbane www.violenceagainstwomenqld.com.au
• The No To Violence conference will be held 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

In yet another short week this month, not a lot has crossed our virtual desks in relation to Violence Against Women – but importantly, the National Plan Implementation Panel (NPIP) has been announced and held its first meeting this week (26 and 27 April).

Picking up on last week’s final roundtables for the Special Rapporteur on violence against women’s study tour, AWAVA co-hosted a roundtable with Advisory Group member DV Vic, and VicHealth in Melbourne on 19 April.  AWAVA facilitated a survivor voices session with presentations from four women on what made a difference for them.  Their 3-minute speeches were really powerful and served as a great reminder that survivors need to be at the heart of discussions about service delivery and how we can prevent violence against women.  The last roundtable was on 20 April in Canberra, see AWAVA’s Twitter page for key messages.  We’ll be posting shortly about the study tour and will be creating a survivor voices page, keep an eye out.

At home:

• The Minister for the Status of Women announces the first meeting and state and territory representatives for the National Plan Implementation Panel in this media release

Internationally

• Violence against women is at crisis levels in Southern Africa, says Lulu Xingwana, South African minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities
• Still in Southern Africa, despite laws being in place gender based violence continues at alarming rates

Resources:

New Resource!!

The UN has released a new e-learning course Managing Gender-Based-Violence in Emergencies

Upcoming Events

• NEW!! The Domestic Violence Resource Centre will hold a forum on their latest discussion paper “”Just Say Goodbye””: parents who kill their children in the context of separation on 31 May, in Melbourne
• NEW!! Homeless Persons Week, running 6 -12 August, recognises that the most common reason clients give for seeking assistance, relates to Domestic and Family Violence

Still time to register

• IWDA are screening The Lady, a film about the life of Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi around Australia on 27 and 30 April
• Griffith University Domestic Violence Symposium on 3 May
• Australia’s CEO Challenge and Minter Ellison are offering Specialist Training by Stephen Page on Family Law changes and their potential impacts on 14 and 15 May, in Brisbane
• The Women’s Legal Centre ACT presents the Women and Justice Forum 16 May
• Preventing and responding to violence against women: Issues, challenges and best practice to be held in Adelaide (South Australia) on 15 June 2012
• Dont forget the Association of Women Educators conference being held in July 2012 – for details and registration click here
• Violence Against Women Conference – Queensland on 7,8, 9 August 2012, in Brisbane www.violenceagainstwomenqld.com.au
• 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

• The No To Violence conference will be held in November 2012
• The 7th Womens Health Conference will be held in Sydney in 2013

Welcome to all of our new subscribers! In the past few weeks we have had quite a few newbies join us, which is great! Remember, if there is an event you want to promote, or an article of interest you want to share, send it through to [email protected] and we will try to include it in our round-ups.

Quite a bit of interesting news across our virtual desks this week, so settle in for some great reading!

Around the Nation

• The Final Report of phase 1 into allegations of ongoing sexual and other abuse in the Defence Force has been received by Stephen Smith, Minister for Defence – read the media release here
• Pressure is now being put on NRL sponsors to make a difference in ending violence against women
• The WA draft mental health bill has some “”appalling elements around forced sterilisation of women”” says Tricia Malowney in this online opinion piece
• The Sydney Morning Herald reports on UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women’s round-table held in Sydney
• and the Minister for the Status of Women announces National Plan Community Action Grant to the AFL for work preventing violence against women

And Internationally…

• Disturbing news from Uzbekistan, where women are being sterilised without their consent or knowledge on a regular basis
• Read here about the media’s influence on rape culture in Canada and the USA
• Proposed changes to data collection of Family Violence has caused controversy in New Zealand
• and in Zambia, there are calls at the Gender Justice and Local Government summit to take further steps to end violence against women

New Survey

Have Your Say!

Women’s Major Group, supported by UN Women, is Collecting Women’s Voices gathering the views and gender perspectives on sustainability and what that means for women around the world through the Rio+20 gender survey.

]

Upcoming Events

As always, AWAVA supports our Friends & Supporters events in the community – click on any of the events below to be directed to more info and registration details:

• NEW!!   the Women’s Legal Centre ACT presents the Women and Justice Forum 16 May
• NEW!!   Australia’s CEO Challenge and Minter Ellison are offering Specialist Training by Stephen Page on Family Law changes and their potential impacts on 14 and 15 May, in Brisbane
• NEW!!   IWDA are screening The Lady, a film about the life of Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi around Australia on 27 and 30 April

Still time to register:

• Griffith University Domestic Violence Symposium on 3 May
• Violence Against Women Conference – Queensland on 7,8, 9 August 2012, in Brisbane www.violenceagainstwomenqld.com.au
• The 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
• Dont forget the Association of Women Educators conference being held in July 2012 – for details and registration click here
• Preventing and responding to violence against women: Issues, challenges and best practice to be held in Adelaide (South Australia) on 15 June 2012
• The No To Violence conference will be held in November 2012
• The 7th Womens Health Conference will be held in Sydney in 2013

We hope you all had a nice, relaxing and safe mini-break over the long weekend, and it’s another short week, and another short round-up!  Don’t forget there are plenty of events happening around the country, with new listings all the time – scroll to the end of this post for more details

Around the Nation

• The Victorian Women’s Trust has posted a summary of its Storming Against Violence week of action here
• Rhonda Cumberland says that forced marriage is a hidden problem in Australia that must be addressed
• The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Dr Rashida Manjoo, attended the first roundtables in Sydney, including one for immigrant and refugee women; and spoke at the reception held by UN Women on 10 April.  The UN Special Rapporteur’s study tour continues until 20 April

And Internationally

• In the UK experts warn against criminalising forced marriage
• And finally, Eve Ensler calls on us all to DANCE to end Violence Against Women

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AWAVA have  been busy supporting our local and international sisters in a number of campaigns to end Violence Against Women. Click on the links below to see the petitions AWAVA have signed, and to add your signature!

• Change.org campaign urges the NRL to impose a one season ban on players convicted of violence against women.  This petition only takes 3 minutes to read and complete and could make a measurable difference, not just in the NRL, but in organisations generally
• Many of you will have read about Amina Filali, the 16 year old Morrocan girl who killed herself after being forced to marry her rapist. If you haven’t already, click here to sign the petition to pressure the Morrocan government to change the law that allows this to happen
• Click here to join the call to protect workers who experience Domestic and Family Violence

Dont’ Forget!

Upcoming Events

There is still time to register for these events

• NEW!!! Griffith University Domestic Violence Symposium on 3 May

• The 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

• Dont forget the Association of Women Educators conference being held in July 2012 – for details and registration click here
• Preventing and responding to violence against women: Issues, challenges and best practice to be held in Adelaide (South Australia) on 15 June 2012
• The No To Violence conference will be held in November 2012
• The 7th Womens Health Conference will be held in Sydney in 2013

A short week for most of us this week, so only a short round-up!  Not much has crossed our desks in relation to local news, but there is plenty happening in other parts of the world

Around the Country

• Victims of forced marriage speak out as Attorney General Nicola Roxon promises changes to make coercion into marriage a serious crime
• The Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Dr Rashida Manjoo, starts her Study Tour of Australia on 10 April until 20 April, starting in Sydney

Internationally

• There are calls in Zimbabwe to take action to halve gender based violence by 2015
• A new book takes a look at the Unfinished Revolution and what more needs to be done around the world to end Violence Against Women
• In the USA Honour Violence and Honour Killings are becoming more prevalent
• Changes to gun laws in Canada have outraged women’s groups
• In Pakistan a new report has been released on the socio-economic cost of Violence against Women
• The US held a roundtable on violence against women with disabilities: Forgotten Sisters: Violence Against Women With Disabilities, Human Rights, and Complex Identity Status

This week there have been some very interesting new reports released, so make sure you read all the way to the bottom of this post so you don’t miss out! But in brief news around the country:

• The Victorian Women’s Trust calls on the Premier to act on violence
• In Tasmania, the Police Union raises concerns over budget cuts to Specialist Domestic Violence Units
• The Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Rashida Manjoo, will be in Australia for a study tour from 10-20 April, see our post from earlier in the week here

and Internationally:

• In China, there are calls to broaden the definition of domestic violence to include domestic partners and ex-spouses
• Michelle Bachelet says violence against women is one of her top priorities
• The Age reports on findings of a recent visit by Rashida Manjoo to our neighbour, PNG, – read the full story here
• A new tool using crowd-sourcing technology is tracking violence against women in Syria
• A new report shows continuing high levels of violence against women in Afghanistan

New Reports and Research

New Reports and Research

• Women’s Health Goulburn North East have released The Way He Tells It a in-depth report into the effects and causes of increased violence against women following a natural disaster
• The AIC has released a report into People Trafficking – read this media release for more details

Upcoming events

and dont forget – there is still time to register for these events:

• International Symposium on VAW on 15 June, in Adelaide
• International Women’s Conference also in June, 14-15 June, in Cairns
• Association of Women Educators National Conference, 3-5 July, also in Cairns
• Responses to Men’s Domestic and Family Violence hosted by No To Violence, 14-15 November,in Melbourne
• 7th Women’s Health Conference in 2013, 7-10 May, in Sydney

This week in Violence Against Women news:

• Minister Collins announces new funding for victims of trafficking
• Mary Crooks, Executive Director of the Victorian Women’s Trust says keeping quiet about violence against women is to condone it
• ARPA (Australian Review of Public Affairs) asks empowering victims of domestic violence: could anti-discrimination laws play a role?
• Women’s Health Victoria will be speaking at the Global Launch in London of a campaign dedicated to reducing domestic violence worldwide – read the media release here
• and Victoria announces a new taskforce aimed at reducing sexual violence

Internationally

• the UK’s Home Office releases it’s updated action plan to reduce violence against women and girls
• Special Rapporteur on VAW, Rashida Manjoo, says the Solomon Islands must act to end Violence Against Women
• In Afghanistan, girl scout groups are taking steps to prevent forced marriages

My Short Skirt

On March 21 it was World Poetry Day, and to celebrate this we thought we would share with you an excerpt from the Vagina Monologues, which we think is close enough to a poem to count 😉

My Short Skirt
(from The Vagina Monologues)

My short skirt
is not an invitation
a provocation
an indication
that I want it
or give it
or that I hook

My short skirt
is not begging for it
it does not want you
to rip it off me
or pull it down.

My short skirt
is not a legal reason
for raping me
although it has been before
it will not hold up
in the new court.

My short skirt, believe it or not
has nothing to do with you.

My short skirt
is about discovering
the power of my lower calves
about cool autumn air traveling
up my inner thighs
about allowing everything I see
or pass or feel to live inside.

My short skirt is not proof
that I am stupid
or undecided
or a malleable little girl.

My short skirt is my defiance
I will not let you make me afraid
My short skirt is not showing off
this is who I am
before you made me cover it
or tone it down.
Get used to it.

My short skirt is happiness
I can feel myself on the ground.
I am here. I am hot.

My short skirt is a liberation
flag in the women™s army
I declare these streets, any streets
my vagina™s country.

My short skirt
is turquoise water
with swimming colored fish
a summery festival
in the starry dark
a bird calling
a train arriving in a foreign town
my short skirt is a wild spin
a full breath
a tango dip
my short skirt is
initiation
appreciation
excitation.

But mainly my short skirt
and everything under it
is Mine.
Mine.
Mine.

Eve Ensler, 2001

Welcome to another weekly round-up! Some interesting and diverse articles have crossed our virtual desks this week, and here are a few that we thought might interest you.

Around the Nation

• New funds have been announced for increased security in refuges and specialist services
• In Canberra, school students discuss respectful relationships
• Minister Collins also unveiled the National Action Plan to Empower and Protect Women and Girls in Conflict Zones – you can read more about this in Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick’s, opinion piece here
• Australia’s Global Ambassador for Women and Girls spoke out against violence against women inFiji last week
• The Age continues its series on Violence Against Women, and takes a look at behaviour change programs and tells one man’s story as he goes through the process of change

Internationally:

• In Alberta, a new survey has been conducted on men’s attitude to violence against women
• The Age takes a look at a growing movement Project Unbreakable which encourages survivors of sexual assault to share their stories
• 75 activists from around Africa climb Mt Kilimanjaro to raise awareness and end Violence Against Women
• At the end of this month, Botswana will release its comprehensive data on gender based violence
• Also during March, the Southern African Development Community Gender Unit will host a regional conference on Gender Based Violence
• Jennifer Prestholdt takes a look at the Amina Filali case in Morroco (the young woman forced to marry her rapist) and Morroco’s penal code

Upcoming Events!

• Register for the 20th Annual Kingsley Laffer Lecture here on 19 March
• Flinders University are holding an International Symposium on Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Women, on 15 June
• The Association of Women Educators conference is on again in July 2012 – learn more and register here
• The Violence Against Women Queensland Conference: An inconvenient reality on 7-9 August 2012, will be taking early bird registrations from 1 April

Funding Opportunities

• In Victoria, expressions of interest for Reducing Violence Against Women and Children grants are now open