Submission to the review of the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012
In this submission, AWAVA and WESNET support the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 as an important vehicle to progress gender equality and, in turn, reduce violence against women and their children. Opportunities exist, however, to modernise the Act, particularly to acknowledge and respond to domestic and family violence as a workplace issue.
Submission to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability: Violence and Abuse of People with Disability at Home
In this submission we highlight that women with disability are more likely to experience more severe and frequent violence, by a wider array of perpetrators. They are additionally likely to encounter more barriers in seeking protection and justice. Girls and young women with disability are exposed to a broad range of violence perpetrated by carers, parents, guardians, peers, educators, service providers, and others, including dating partners. Violence can take many forms, including structural and institutional forms of gender-based violence related to law, the state and culture.
Submission to the Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Continuation of Cashless Welfare) Bill 2020
AWAVA strongly opposes the proposed amendments to the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999, in particular to establish the Cashless Debit Card (CDC) as an ongoing program.
We recommend that the Australian Government:
1. Abandon the cashless debit cards legislation;
2. Establish a voluntary opt-in framework for welfare management; and
3. Apply an intersectional gender lens to social security policy.
Submission on priorities for the 2020-2021 Budget: Budget measures to address violence against women
Throughout the last year, AWAVA has made 11 policy submissions and reports detailing the measures needed to reduce and end violence against women, all of which include relevant budget considerations detailed in this submission. Most of the recommendations contained in our pre-budget submission 2019-20 are yet to be implemented.
Download our submission here
Submission to the House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs in response to the Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence
Family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV) are human rights violations that are gendered in their nature where the majority of the perpetrators are men and the majority of the victims/survivors are women.
In this submission, AWAVA is presenting evidence-based recommendations to the National Inquiry and identifying policy directions for the development of the Second National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children.
AWAVA Submission to the Select Committee on COVID-19
In this submission we discuss the increase in prevalence and intensity of several types of sexual and gender-based violence inflicted on women and their children during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as providing the analysis of the government response in relation to domestic and family violence.
AWAVA Submission to OHCHR on Increase in DFV during COVID-19 pandemic
In this submission we discuss the increase in prevalence and intensity of several types of sexual and gender-based violence inflicted on women and their children during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as providing the analysis of the government response in relation to domestic and family violence. This submission provides Australian context.
Submission to the Inquiry into Homelessness in Australia
In this submission AWAVA discusses homelessness arising from experiences of domestic and family violence. As the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has established, “Domestic and family violence is the main reason women and children leave their homes in Australia and is consistently one of the most common reasons clients have sought assistance from specialist homelessness agencies”.
Homelessness arising from the experiences of domestic and family violence is also linked to the lack of affordable housing, ineligibility for women on temporary visas to access social and public housing, discrimination and other gender-based economic and health inequalities. Homelessness also increases risk of gender-based violence in particular sexual violence. In addition, when intertwined with poverty and lack of social security support, many women are forced to engage in survival sex to obtain any accommodation, ‘pay the rent’ or to obtain general ‘protection’.