AWAVA Weekly Round-Up Archives

Weekly Round-up* – 21 June

This week, AWAVA joined the five other Commonwealth-funded National Women’s Alliances at the joint annual forum. Discussions focused on achievements and challenges during the first three years and future plans for the Alliances individually and collectively.

Margaret Augerinos, an Executive Member of our Advisory Group, also represented AWAVA’s CSW57 delegation in a panel discussion chaired by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick. This formed part of a high-profile event at Parliament House in Canberra for the launch, by the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP, of the Parliamentary Group of Population and Development’s “One in Three” campaign.

Around the country

St Vincent de Paul’s CEO Sleepout for Homelessness on Thursday 20 June was a timely reminder of gendered nature of homelessness, especially the intersection between women who are homeless/sleeping rough and their experience of domestic and family violence
Clementine Ford delivered a powerful analysis on the short-sighted destructiveness of victim-blaming in this response to the sentencing of Jill Meagher’s killer

Around the world

Minister Collins this week led the Australian delegation to Bangladesh for the 10th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting, and highlighted that Australia has a strong role to play internationally in preventing gender-based violence and advancing gender equality
The World Health Organisation (WHO) released a new report on partner and non-partner violence finding that gendered violence is a “global health problem of epidemic proportions”
Read up on AWAVA Chairperson Julie Oberin’s speech at the UK & Ireland’s Feminist and Women’s Studies Biennial Conference on Feminist Advocacy and Policy Work here
Italy became the 25th member state of the Council of Europe to ratify a convention adressing violence against women
At a joint conference consolidating the positions of the World Bank and OxFam International on violence against women, the CEO of Oxfam India said “achieving the Millenium Development Goals is not possible if we overlook violence against women…we do not address this like poverty, although the same number of women, a billion, are suffering from violence around the world.”
Criticism of the culture of bystander complicity surrounding violence against women continues with this piece written in response to the Nigella Lawson incident

Reports

See the full report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) referred to above – “Responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women”

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

Weekly Round-up* – 15 June

The news this week in Australia has been dominated by examples of sexist behaviour and attitudes – a strong reminder that there is a way to go to address gender inequality and, ultimately, the prevention of violence against women, which is both a cause and consequence of gender and social inequalities.

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Weekly Round-Up* – 7 June

US rapper, Tyler-the-Creator has been in Australia this week giving concerts; his song lyrics promote violence against women, so should we really be giving him a platform to do this? We can’t excuse songs about rape, genital mutilation, raping corpses and burying bodies, as ‘entertainment’ or ‘free speech’. A resolution in the Philippines was filed this week aimed at celebrities and entertainment personalities “observing the utmost sensitivity to victims of violence against women during their public performances, given their position of influence.” Violence Against Women is preventable if we challenge and change attitudes that condone it – that means not giving a rapper who promotes violence against women an audience.

Around the country

Read this Human Rights Defender article ‘Rising up’ to end violence against women – how far have we come in twenty years? by Women’s Legal Service NSW, which highlights the “primary challenge for our community is to hold our government accountable for its international commitments to a society free of violence so that this becomes a lived reality for women.”
This article in the Courier Mail gives more details about the US hip-hop singer, Tyler-The-Creator and the granting of his visa by the Federal Government
This Age opinion piece questions why efforts to reduce family violence aren’t the funding priority (including Family Violence Death Reviews) when it accounts for 84% of the rise in recorded assaults in Victoria
$3 million will be spent on services in WA and across The Kimberley to cater particularly for victims of domestic violence, to provide educational resources, culturally appropriate counselling and to support and increase community awareness
Listen to Ludo McFerran speak about Safe at Home, Safe at Work

Around the world

Lakshmi Puri, Acting Head of UN Women and Assistant Secretary-General says that ending violence against women and girls must be a priority in the post-2015 development agenda
Read Soraya Chemaly’s response to the assertion that the Facebook campaign challenges freedom of speech and is feminists censoring the Internet: Facebook “with more than a billion users, is an influential force. It is both a mirror and a microcosm of a global culture. As such, it is no more or less sexist or misogynistic than any other company or aspect of media. However, by creating a review process it became an arbiter of norms and provided a way to challenge those that encourage and perpetuate gross and easily demonstrable prejudices against girls and women.”
Women, Action and The Media have issued guidelines for reporting content on Facebook that glorifies, promotes or makes light of gendered violence:
- First, report it to Facebook using their standard reporting guidelines
- If the content has been reported and Facebook has declined to remove it, email WAM, and they will take further action. Please include any information you have about when and how you reported the content, and what response(s) you’ve received from Facebook
In the Philippines, a resolution has been filed directed at media and entertainment personalities: one way “society can change its anti-women views and attitude toward rape victims is to hold media and entertainment celebrities/personalities to the highest standards of responsibility”
Experts and technologists will come together in Kathmandu on 16 June, 2013 to address the challenges of violence against women by finding innovative technological solutions to issues surrounding prevention, response and awareness at the Violence Against Women Hackathon

Contribute to the August edition of Parity Magazine!

The August edition of Parity is dedicated to Preventing Homelessness.

Section 1: Conceptualising Homelessness Prevention
Section 2: Homelessness Prevention Policies and Strategies
Section 3: Preventing Homelessness in Practice
Section 4: Overseas Models and Experience

Deadline: All contributions need to be submitted by Friday 9 August 2013. Submissions: All contributions should be submitted as Word attachments to an email addressed to [email protected]

Word limits: Contributions can be up to 1,600 words (double page spread) in Parity. Single page articles can be up to 800 words . Contributions of a greater length should be discussed with the Parity Editor.

If you have any questions at all about contributing to this edition please contact the Parity Editor by email [email protected] or ring 03 8415 6200.

Resources and Reports

Read the latest Report of the Special Rapporteur, Professor Rashida Manjoo, on violence against women, its causes and consequences
The Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse latest fast facts on Domestic Violence and Mental Health is out
Women’s Health, Goulburn North have developed downloadable resources raising awareness of financial abuse as a form of family violence. Six postcards were developed as part of the Keeping Your Boat Afloat project each detailing a young women’s experience of financial abuse. Helplines available are listed on the back of the cards. The postcards were developed in consultation with young women.
Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria’s Women Surviving Violence Cultural Competence in Critical Services highlights that, while there is no evidence that family violence is more endemic, or profound, in CALD communities, when it does occur, the Australian justice and protection services are not adequately accounting for the additional complexity that can be embedded within CALD women’s experiences of violence. These service gaps have led to lower rates of reporting and disadvantage in access.
A report published by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner in England: A Rapid Evidence Assessment on the Effects that Access and Exposure to Pornography has on Children and Young People found:
“…compelling evidence that too many boys believe that they have an absolute entitlement to sex at any time, in any place, in any way and with whomever they wish. Equally worryingly, we heard that too often girls feel they have no alternative but to submit to boys’ demands, regardless of their own wishes.”
NUS Scotland Women’s Campaign have teamed up with White Ribbon Scotland, to create a series of postcards for women’s officers, women’s groups, equality committees and volunteers to use as conversation starters for feminist campaigns on campuses.

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

Weekly Round-up* – 2 June

The power of collective lobbying and advocacy last week made two great impacts – pressuring Facebook to review its policies and training to include gender-based hate speech in their moderating of online material; and, in Australia, much-needed amendments were made to NSW’s compensation to victims of violence against women.

In other news…a busy week around the country!

AWAVA added our support to the Facebook campaign, see SBS News item: Facebook cracks down on sexism. Adding support to the Open Letter to Facebook campaign to include violence against women in the ‘hate speech’ definition, Clementine Ford writes Hey Facebook, rape is not a punch line
This The Conversation article Sexual abuse, celebrity and ‘grooming’ the community highlights “Our social and institutional responses to sexual abuse are realigning to acknowledge the power dynamics of abuse and victimisation”
This piece argues for the Government to abolish defensive homicide as it legitimises lethal male violence and has allowed for manipulation, victim-blaming and misuse of the justice system
The Age reports on one of Australia’s biggest businesses, NAB offering domestic violence leave for employees
The Attorney General has introduced legislation to protect vulnerable witnesses and victims in Commonwealth criminal proceedings; vulnerability can include the nature of the offence, or relate to a particular characteristic, such as age, cultural background, or a disability. The protections will apply automatically to victims of forced marriage
The Victims Rights and Support Bill 2013 (NSW) was passed in the NSW Upper House, see Women’s Legal Services NSW’s article in The Drum and Sydney Morning Herald article ”Outrage over plans to cap abuse claims”. An amendment was made to remove the 10 year-time limit for victims of child sexual abuse so there are no time limits for such victims in applying for some limited forms of financial assistance and a recognition payment, see CLCNSW’s media release
Also in NSW, the NSW Government have published the national response to the Family Violence – A National Legal Response report by the Australian and NSW Law Reform Commissions
From Victoria:
- The Eliminating Violence Against Women Media Awards, EVAs 2013 Finalists have been announced, the winners will be announced on Friday 19 July
- Victoria Police have recorded about 12 more domestic assaults every day this year than in 2011-12, despite this, there are plans to axe the unit investigating family violence deaths at Vic Coroners Court
ABC News reports on Ruby Gaea’s new resource: Tiwi Islanders star in animated short films to raise awareness about sexting, cyberbullying and child abuse

Around the world

In response to the global Facebook campaign, Soraya Chemaly writes, Facebook rejects rape culture. Can you? The US peak organisation for domestic violence, National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNDEV), supports Facebook’s efforts to take a stand against violence against women
Seven governments adopted a statement on violence against women and girls at the 66th World Health Assembly, declaring violence against women and girls “a major global public health, gender equality and human rights challenge, touching every country and every part of society”
Read here about a UN study launched this week, “Breaking the Silence on Violence against Indigenous Girls, Adolescents and Young Women: A call to action based an overview of existing evidence from Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America,” which highlights that Indigenous girls are at heightened risk of violence due to the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination they face
In the UK another campaign is taking off to pressure supermarkets to stop selling Lads’ Mags on the grounds that it may breach sexual discrimination legislation and constitute harassment to employees
Italy is likely to become the 5th country to ratify the Council of Europe’s Convention on Violence Against Women
From earlier this month, this article highlight the abuse of young girls with disabilities in institutions in India

Resources

Ruby Gaea launched the long awaited Bikkies project this week with project partners Bima Wear and the NT Police Child Abuse Taskforce. A series of animations provide educational messages on child and sexual abuse issues to remote Aboriginal Communities throughout the Northern Territory
- Episode 1 Letting the CAT out of the bag
- Episode 2 You’re not the only one, Indie providing information about the risks of “sexting”
Read Anti-Slavery Australia’s Forced Marriage in Australia, an up-to-date review
Last month, the Minister for the Status of Women, Julie Collins, launched “Girls Gotta Know”, a free mobile web-based app providing young Tasmanian women with quick access to legal info on a range of topics. Click here to access the site

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

Weekly Round-up* 24 May

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

Weekly round-up* 17 May

This week AWAVA Chairperson, Julie Oberin, attended the inaugural International White Ribbon Conference: Global to Local: Preventing Men’s Violence against Women – Research, Policy and Practice in One Space. AWAVA also attended the Federal budget stakeholder lock-up on 14 May, see more below…

Federal Budget

The Women’s Budget Highlights 2013-14 can be accessed here – be sure to have a read through. You can read AWAVA’s notes on the preventing violence against women budget announcements and our media release Stronger, Smarter, Fairer…?

News from around Australia

Prof Donna Chung says that less than half of all incidents of male violence against women ever gets reported to the Police
Regularly featured writer, Clementine Ford, writes this piece on what Cleveland tells us about the cycle of abuse
Forced and Coerced Marriage is now a criminal offence, but understanding the nuances and the secrecy of marriage in many cultures is a hurdle yet to be overcome
In Victoria, a specialist police unit on the Mornington Peninsula is working to break the cycle of domestic and family violence
Still in Victoria, and Supreme Court judge Betty King laments the lack of success in ending violence against Aboriginal women
A new report from the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council highlights the incredibly high incidence of sexual assault of women while they are in psychiatric care. You can sign this petition in support of action
Sad news of the passing of Sandra Egger, a champion for law reform, particularly for women, and domestic and sexual violence in NSW
This op-ed from The Conversation says that Australia has the opportunity to do more to end VAW in regions of conflict
And from the Minister’s Office, this media release announces funding for a new body to boost efforts to prevent violence against women

Around The World

In PNG a national day of mourning (haus krai) has been held over violence against women. See how Australia will be working with PNG in this media release from the PM’s office
An official in Hong Kong receives criticism from women’s groups, after advising young women to drink less in order to avoid being raped
In Saudi Arabia, a new campaign to end domestic violence has been initiated. This article says that women should “ask for real changes in the law itself”
This New Statesman article states: “This is not the persecution of old men. This is the prosecution of rapists”
This article from the USA states that forced marriage is a form of slavery
Read this interesting article on underage marriage in the Netherlands. Police in Amsterdam were “under fire for allegedly helping two young underage Muslims to marry in the Netherlands – so the bride could avoid being sent back to her family’s native Pakistan for a traditional arranged marriage to her cousin”
Activist Mallika Dutt says that the push for LGBT rights and acceptance can help stop violence against women
In Turkey, one group is doing all it can to raise awareness of, and to end violence against women
This report from the UN highlights the ongoing inequalities for women in Iraq
A new study finds that there has been a shift globally in attitudes to violence against women
In New Zealand 24/7 monitoring via GPS is being considered for domestic violence offenders
Representatives from 14 East Asian countries met in Beijing this week to discuss ending violence against women
And finally, the UN reviews efforts into ending human trafficking

Get Involved!

Take action to protect the right to compensation for victims of crime in NSW

Training Highlight

WESNET and the Women’s Council WA are bringing Safety Net training to Perth. This training on 10-11 June is ideal for those working with women experiencing violence and who need to understand how technology can be misused to perpetrate violence, book soon to avoid disappointment

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

Weekly round-up* 13 May

AWAVA’s Chair, Julie Oberin, presented on the Stopping Violence Against Women Before It Happens: A Practical Toolkit for Communities, and joined a National Women’s Alliance panel session, at the 7^th Australian Women’s Health Network (AWAVA member organisation) Conference, Gender Matters: Determining Women’s Health, last week.

AWAVA also announced our endorsement of AWHN’s 2012 Position Paper, Women and Health and Well-being, which recommends implementing and adequately funding the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Their Children at both federal and state levels. AWAVA will be looking for the inclusion of much-needed additional investment in the National Plan and primary prevention activities in the budget announcements tomorrow. You can read the latest progress report on the National Plan later in the Round-up.

Around the country

Attorneys General from Australia, England, Wales, New Zealand and Canada have met in Auckland and committed to support prosecutions of sexual violence
Prime Minister Gillard will meet with Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister where she will discuss violence against women
49 local government, health and community organisations in the northern region of Melbourne joined together last Monday (6 May) to commit to actions to prevent violence against women, at an event organised by Women’s Health In the North
There are mixed views in NSW on the proposed changes to Victims of Crime Compensation see also the media release from Women’s Legal Services NSW and Community Legal Centres NSW
Still in NSW, and the launch of a new app for women experiencing domestic and family violence has been welcomed

Around the world

This article from the Hindustan Times says that under-reporting of rapes emboldens rapists
From the USA, more shocking statistics on rape in the military
Scotland Yard calls for assistance in catching and prosecuting those who carry out female genital mutiliation/cutting
In this article, from India, the writer says that VAW isn’t a women’s issue, but is everyone’s responsibility

Get Involved!

Have Your Say

Stop the Violence Project is looking for input from service providers, policy makers and representative organisations to improve service delivery for women and girls with disabilities, please complete the survey by 31 May
Norma’s Project is researching into sexual assault against older women, click on the link to see how you can get involved

National Plan Update

Progress report on the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-22

This is the first progress report in a series of progress reports to the Council of Australian Governments and the general public on efforts to reduce violence against women and their children. It details the actions taken and progress made by Commonwealth, state and territory governments and the non-government sector during the National Plan’s first two years of implementation, from 2010 – 2012.

** Articles posted on this website do not necessarily represent the views of AWAVA, and are published for interest only

Weekly Round-up* 5 May

Last week, AWAVA attended AMaRWA’s national Stand Up! Eliminating All Forms of Violence Against CALD Women conference, sponsoring three CALD women survivors of violence and their support workers to make sure that particularly marginalised women’s voices are heard by governments. We thank the survivors and their support workers for the valuable time and for sharing their experiences.

Candlelight vigils were held in the ACT, Queensland and Tasmania, to remember the victims of family and domestic violence. Tasmanian Minister, Cassy O’Connor, said the event, held each year on the first Wednesday in May, was “an important way of promoting awareness of the issue,” adding “It is a tragic toll and one that is wholly preventable”.

AWAVA’s Chair, Julie Oberin, participated in the National Plan Implementation Panel meeting back on 23-24 April, we hope to report back to you soon on the outcomes.

Around the country:

Less than half of Australian women who suffer violence at the hands of men report the assaults to police, a new study suggests
This Launceston Examiner report points out that a barrier to reporting sexual assault is that women are scared of how they will be treated by ‘the system’
New Reasearch shows women are put at high risk of violence in mixed-gender psychiatric wards in hospitals
Melissa Davey wants us to take a look at the violence in our own backyard
In Western Australia, recent changes to the Violence Restraining Order will come under scrutiny after Police prosecutors have asked the State Solicitor’s Office to appeal against a Supreme Court decision, which resulted in an offender being freed from prison on a technicality
Women’s Legal Services NSW welcomes the recommendations made in the NSW Parliamentary Select Committee into the partial defence of provocation
W omen’s use of violence is too often misunderstood, according to Centre for Non-Violence Chief Executive Officer, Margaret Augerinos

Internationally:

The UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls says that Indian laws “do not go far enough“
In the UK, A Home Office minister has called for the law on female genital mutilation/cutting to be “properly enforced”
Karen Ingala Smith writes about male victims of domestic violence in the UK and the importance of not diverting the violence against women agenda
Also in the UK, Charities such as Shelter and businesses including Vodafone object to their Facebook adverts appear on pages about rape and violence
According to a British study, people can’t tell the difference between quotes from British “lad mags” and interviews with convicted rapists
[trigger warning]

Resources, Research and Reports

Technology Safety Tips click here for some great tips and fact sheets on Women and Technology Safety, from WESNETs SafetyNet Australia Project

Get Involved!

Have your say – AWAVA have developed a draft discussion paper on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) for comment and input. Click here to read more detail and provide your feedback by 7 May

*Articles published are not necessarily representative of the views and opinions of AWAVA, and are published as general information only

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AWAVA Weekly Round-Up Archives

Research, Resources and Reports

Get Involved!