Among the many questions raised by Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States is the question of what impact the result will have on marginalised and victimised groups including Muslim people, people of colour, people with disability and women who have been subjected to violence and harassment. Alisson Pohle has addressed one aspect of this issue in an article asking, “What effect does having a man accused of sexual assault as President have on survivors?” Professor Karestan Koenen, an expert on post-traumatic stress disorder and sexual violence answers that “people may be feeling distressed, scared, angry and…unsafe… That’s normal to feel and we’re not crazy to feel it.” Professor Koenen urged survivors and supporters to “get active, and to find a way to get your voice heard, whether that’s sharing your own story or volunteering to listen to others…

 
Invigorated by the recent National Multicultural Women’s Conference, we are excited to bring you this week’s round-up. At the conference, Antoinette Braybrook spoke about domestic and family violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, noting that despite the proliferation of violence in these communities, it is not perpetrated only by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women suffer from abuse at the hands of men from different backgrounds and cultures, as documented in the report submitted by the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service (FVPLS) to the Victorian Royal Commission. Moreover, violence leaves lasting and devastating effects on women and children’s psychological and emotional wellbeing. ANROWS recently published A preventable burden: Measuring and addressing the prevalence and health impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Australian women, finding this to be the third most important factor contributing to disease (including mental illness) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and the number one factor for women in Australia more generally. You can listen to ANROWS CEO Heather Nanacarrow discussing the impacts and prevention of IPV in an interview with 2ser 107.3.
 

• The ACT Government has made advances in investigating crimes of domestic violence by using video evidence in court proceedings, preventing victims from being re-traumatised by repeated re-telling of their accounts of abuse.
• The Federal Government has rejected the Victorian Government’s call for a special Medicare subsidy for family violence counselling services, which was a recommendation of the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence.
• In Melbourne, the Swinburne Institute for Social Research has partnered with the City of Borroondara for a forum that engages the community in working towards ending violence against women and children.

• In Canada, amidst an economic boom in north-east British Columbia, Amnesty International has called on the Canadian government to implement a gender-focused review of the impacts of ongoing resource and energy projects on indigenous women and girls, including housing insecurity and sexual assaults facilitated by the influx of transient industrial workers employed in the area.
• In Indonesia, due to the high rate of undocumented and unreported incidences of deaths from domestic violence, Kate Walton, an Australian expat, launched the “Counting Dead Women” program to encourage the government to adopt a similar project to account for the numbers of those who were abused and killed in domestic violence.
• Also in Indonesia, Alainsi Laki-laki Baru or the New Men’s Alliance has launched campaigns on the elimination of violence against women in a highly patriarchal society using various formats such as discussion groups, public rallies and online campaigns.
• In India, witch hunting has become a important form of violence against women. Those who are branded as witches, who are mostly women, are being persecuted and buried alive, with 2,290 such cases between 2001 to 2014.
• In the Pacific, the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) together with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has organised a regional police training program to improve officers’ skills in dealing with cases of domestic violence. The workshops, which will be held in Nadi, will train 30 police officers from 11 countries in the South Pacific.

• The Melbourne Social Equity Institute is inviting everyone to a free seminar to present findings of a study on financial abuse in the United Kingdom on 11 November, 11-12 pm at the meeting room of Melbourne Social Equity Institute 201 Grattan Street Carlton, Victoria. Register here.
• The Waratah Support Centre is holding “It’s No Secret” – Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence” a national conference on 24 November, from 8:30 -5:00 at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, BUNBURY, WA. For booking details click here.
• Indigenous Conference Services (ICS) has organised the 2016 International Indigenous Allied Health Conference from 01-03 December at Pullmans Cairns International Hotel in Cairns. For more information visit the website.
• 1800RESPECT will be holding a webinar on “Improving Cultural Understanding and Engagement with people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities” on 1 December 2016, 1pm AEDT. The presenter will be Craig Rigney of Kornar Winmil Yunti (KWY). Register here.
• Law Trobe Law School will be holding “Online/Offline: Sexual violence, activism, and justice”, a free seminar to be held on 25 November, from 4-6 pm at the La Trobe University Franklin Streets Campus, Melbourne. Register here.
• WESNET is hosting the Inaugural Technology Safety Summit in Sydney on 21 November 2016. This one-day conference will focus on the various complex issues and concerns that come from the intersection of technology and domestic and sexual violence, and stalking. The Tech Summit will bring together those working with women and their children experiencing violence and other stakeholders from government and corporate Australia. Attendees of the Tech Summit will learn how technology can be misused as a tactic of abuse, how women experiencing gender-based violence can use technology to improve their safety and privacy, how digital evidence can be collected to hold perpetrators accountable, and how agencies can strengthen policies and practices to improve service delivery, and what other support technology and telecommunications companies can provide.  To find out more and register please visit the conference website.
• On 14 November our member organisation DV Victoria is joining with other organisations in calling for people to gather in support of Domestic and Family Violence Leave. For more information click here.
• The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) is hiring a Communications Advisor for a one year full-time contract until 30 June 2017 with possibility of extension. Applications close 13 Nov. Click here for more information.
• The National Rural Women’s Coalition is launching “Brave Danny” a picture book for children on 24^thNovember from 5-7 pm at Melbourne Ether Conference Centre, 265 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. The book was written by Robin Adolps for children and illustrated by Nicky Johnston. For more information, contact [email protected].
• The Adelaide White Ribbon Breakfast will be held on 25 November at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 6:45 am to 9:00 am. The guest speaker will be the honourable Marcia Neave, chair of the recent Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence. Book here.
• The University of Melbourne has created a website called ‘NotTheOnlyOne’ where women can anonymously read and share stories about experiencing family and domestic violence.

What a week! There has been a great deal of activity in the area of preventing and responding to violence as governments and community representatives gathered in Brisbane on 28 October for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Summit on Violence against Women and their Children. The Prime Minister used the Summit to reiterate his call for cultural change towards gender equality, while some States and Territories urged further action, including a new Medicare item for family violence counselling and paid family violence leave to be included in the National Employment Standards.

The Summit was also the platform for the release of the Third Action Plan (2016–2019) of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (2010–2022). Among other things, the Third Action Plan raises the visibility of sexual violence, which has been overshadowed by the recent emphasis on domestic and family violence, and also emphasises the vital role of specialist women’s services, including those represented in AWAVA’s membership. Read AWAVA’s response to the release of the Third Action Plan here.

Other media releases and responses:

• The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) has applauded the inclusion in the Third Action Plan of key actions focusing on migrant women, such as developing appropriate visa arrangements for temporary residents subjected to violence.
• The National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC) has acknowledged the limited additional family violence funding for Community Legal Centres
• Our Watch has welcomed the Third Action Plan and its commitment to implementing Change the Story
• Domestic Violence NSW CEO Moo Baulch has told The Project that ‘significant gaps’ remain in funding for homelessness service providers and community legal centres.

In other news:

• Rosie Batty has said she is ‘disturbed’ that the Australian Government can find $180 million for a plebiscite but cannot fund domestic violence legal reform, highlighting the fact that perpetrators are still allowed to directly cross-examine victims of domestic violence in Family Court cases, among other problems.
• ANROWS has released a major research report documenting the ‘burden of disease’ caused by intimate partner violence, finding that this violence is the largest cause of disease for women and girls aged 14 to 44 years.
• The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples has warned that it may be forced to cease operations in 2017, after it was de-funded by the Commonwealth Government, while co-chair Dr Jackie Huggins said the Congress had a strong heartbeat and was not going without a fight. Co-chair Rod Little highlighted the importance of the Congress’s representative role in the context of major issues including domestic and family violence.

Get involved!

• WESNET is hosting the Inaugural Technology Safety Summit in Sydney on 21 November 2016. This one-day conference will focus on the various complex issues and concerns that come from the intersection of technology and domestic and sexual violence, and stalking. The Tech Summit will bring together those working with women and their children experiencing violence and other stakeholders from government and corporate Australia. Attendees of the Tech Summit will learn how technology can be misused as a tactic of abuse, how women experiencing gender-based violence can use technology to improve their safety and privacy, how digital evidence can be collected to hold perpetrators accountable, and how agencies can strengthen policies and practices to improve service delivery, and what other support technology and telecommunications companies can provide.  To find out more and register please visit the conference website.
• The Melbourne Research Alliance to End Violence against women and their children (MAEVe) is hosting a roundtable on ‘Financial abuse in the United Kingdom’, facilitated by Prof Cathy Humphries, on Friday 11 November. For more information click here.
• On 14 November our member organisation DV Victoria is joining with other organisations in calling for people to gather in support of Domestic and Family Violence Leave. For more information click here.
• Lucy’s Project is inviting everyone to join the “Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse-International Perspectives, Conference 2016”, which will be held from 5-6 of November at the Portside Conference Centre, near Wynyard Station, Sydney CBD. Click here to book tickets.
• The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) is hiring a Communications Advisor for a one year full-time contract until 30 June 2017 with possibility of extension. Applications close 13 Nov. Click here for more information.
• The National Rural Women’s Coalition is launching “Brave Danny” a picture book for children on 24^th November from 5-7 pm at Melbourne Ether Conference Centre, 265 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. The book was written by Robin Adolps for children and illustrated by Nicky Johnston. For more information, contact [email protected].
• The Adelaide White Ribbon Breakfast will be held on 25 November at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 6:45 am to 9:00 am. The guest speaker will be the honourable Marcia Neave, chair of the recent Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence. Book here.
• The University of Melbourne has created a website called ‘NotTheOnlyOne’where women can anonymously read and share stories about experiencing family and domestic violence.
• Soroptomist International Australia is sponsoring the Rosie Batty Roadshow, which will make its final stop in Adelaide on 7 November Proceeds will go to the Women’s Legal Services in each capital. To buy your tickets click here.

The harms inflicted by domestic violence often do not end after separation or divorce. Long after a violent relationship has ceased, women can continue to suffer from mental and physical health problems while having to face homelessness and poverty. A common form of abuse within violent relationships, financial abuse sometimes continues beyond separation as well. This week ANROWS released Domestic Violence and Women’s Economic Security: Building Australia’s Capacity for Prevention and Redress, a report highlighting the financial abuse of women and opportunities to better address the economic harms caused by violence. Similarly, a study conducted by Elizabeth Branigan for the Coburg Brunswick Community Legal and Financial Counselling Centre in 2015 outlined magnitude of damage caused by financial abuse. In ’His Money or Our Money?’ Financial Abuse of Women in Intimate Partner Relationships, she points out that its “recognition is fundamental to an understanding of the often deeply hidden ways that patriarchal relationships continue to disadvantage women and children.” Both reports show how a range of legal, corporate and income support systems perpetuate the effects of financial abuse and work against women’s economic empowerment, and both identify key steps for their reform.

• An Australian Institute of Family Studies study into the effects of family violence on parenting has found that a ‘Disney Dad’ phenomenon places women in the disadvantaged position of carrying the burden of day to day expenses and responsibility of children while ex-partners lavish children with gifts during contacts to win loyalty and allegiance.
• Research has found a link between the density of poker machines in a suburb and levels of domestic violence.
• In Victoria, university students have created “If These Walls Could Talk”, an exhibition in which body paint was used to camouflage the bodies of 24 models against different wallpapers to symbolise the lack of voice, fear and shame that women subjected to domestic violence feel.
• Also in Victoria, controversy has emerged over the government’s Respectful Relationships curriculum, with the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) urging the Minister for Education James Merlino to remove web links and resources that the ACL deems inappropriate for children.
• Caitlin Overington has written about CCTV footage being used as evidence in court proceeding about cases of violence against women, noting that such evidence can help with convictions, but that reliance on it also entails risks.

• The Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) has commissioned a study to on violence against women and girls in 15 counties within Liberia.
• In Canada, the Edmonton International Women’s Day Committee has staged a Take Back the Night march and rally through downtown streets to oppose violence against women.
• In Colombia, the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have initiated talks on how to rework the peace deal that would end the civil war. Columbian feminists have expressed the need for the progressive inclusion of women’s issues especially gender-based violence in formulating the new accord.

• The Office of the Attorney General has released the Family Law Council’s final report on Families with Complex Needs and the Intersection of the Family Law and Child Protection Systems. Delivered to government in June 2016 and now published, the report focuses on enhancing collaboration between the family law system and other support services engaged in child protection, including mental health, family violence, drug and alcohol, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and migrant services. Access the report here.
• In the United States, the National Coalition of Anti Violence Programs has released a report on hate violence against LGBTQ and HIV-affected people in the US. A program of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, the research confirmed that hate violence in its various forms is far too commonly inflicted upon LGBTQ people and people with HIV in the US.

• The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) National Summit on Reducing Violence against Women will be held in Brisbane on 27 and 28 October 2016, to review progress and profile best practice in efforts to make Australia safer for women and their children. Online roundtables are open now, enabling submissions and comments from people who are unable to attend in person. Visit the Summit website to register and take part.
• The Domestic Violence Resource Centre of Victoria has updated its infographic poster presenting the latest statistics on family violence in Victoria and Australia. Download the poster here.
• The Office for Women is inviting applications from civil society to be part of the Australian Government delegation to the 61st session of the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61) to be held in New York from13-24 March 2017. The due date for applications has been extended and will now close 11:59pm AEDST Sunday 30 October 2016. For more information visit the Office for Women’s website here.
• WESNET is hosting the Inaugural Technology Safety Summit in Sydney on 21 November 2016. This one-day conference will focus on the various complex issues and concerns that come from the intersection of technology and domestic and sexual violence, and stalking. The Tech Summit will bring together those working with women and their children experiencing violence and other stakeholders from government and corporate Australia. Attendees of the Tech Summit will learn how technology can be misused as a tactic of abuse, how women experiencing gender-based violence can use technology to improve their safety and privacy, how digital evidence can be collected to hold perpetrators accountable, and how agencies can strengthen policies and practices to improve service delivery, and what other support technology and telecommunications companies can provide.  To find out more and register please visit the conference website. Early bird rates close on 21 October.
• Lucy’s Project is inviting everyone to join the “Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse-International Perspectives, Conference 2016”, which will be held from 5-6 of November at the Portside Conference Centre, near Wynyard Station, Sydney CBD. Click here to book tickets.
• FECCA is hiring a Communications Advisor for a one year full-time contract until 30 June 2017 with possibility of extension. Click here for more information.
• The National Rural Women’s Coalition Ltd is calling for expressions of interest for the role of Independent Director for a period of two years commencing 24^th of November 2016. To apply or for more information email [email protected].
• The National Rural Women’s Coalition is launching “Brave Danny” a picture book for children on 24^th November from 5-7 pm at Melbourne Ether Conference Centre, 265 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. The book was written by Robin Adolps for children and illustrated by Nicky Johnston. For more information, contact [email protected].
• Across Australia (and elsewhere) Reclaim the Night marches are held on the last Friday in October, to protest violence against women and their children, particularly sexual violence, and to re-assert our right to be safe in public spaces. This year marches will be on Friday 28 October. Check your networks and social media for details about local events. Marches will be held in Brisbane,Canberra(organising led by our member organisation Canberra Rape Crisis Centre), Darwin (organised by our member Ruby Gaea Centre against Sexual Violence), Alice Springs and no doubt elsewhere!
• The Adelaide White Ribbon Breakfast will be held on 25 November at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 6:45 am to 9:00 am. The guest speaker will be the honourable Marcia Neave, chair of the recent Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence. Book here.
• The University of Melbourne has created a website called ‘NotTheOnlyOne’where women can anonymously read and share stories about experiencing family and domestic violence.
• The National Multicultural Women’s Conference will be held on 3 and 4 November 2016 in Parkroyal Parramatta, Sydney. Find out more here.
• Soroptomist International Australia is sponsoring the Rosie Batty Roadshow from 5 October to 7 November 2016, travelling from Brisbane to Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne and Adelaide. Proceeds will go to the Women’s Legal Services in each capital that Rosie will visit. To buy your tickets click here.

Welcome to the week’s Round-Up. In a speech that has resonated with women around the world, United States First Lady Michelle Obama has voiced a powerful condemnation of the sexual objectification of women. Addressing Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump’s defence of his comments about women as “locker room banter”, she said, “This is not something that we can ignore. It’s not something we can just sweep under the rug as just another disturbing footnote in a sad election season. Because this was not just a ‘lewd conversation’… This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behaviour, and actually bragging…” Michelle Obama’s speech is a strong reminder that such behaviour and attitudes must not be tolerated or condoned.

For those who want to take action, please join one of the Reclaim the Night marches  that will be happening simultaneously in various places across Australia and in other parts of the world, on Friday 28 October. Reclaim the Night marches are held every year on the last Friday in October to protest violence against women and their children, particularly sexual violence, and to re-assert women’s right to be safe in public spaces. For more information, see our Get Involved section below.

 
Around the Country

• The COAG National Summit on Reducing Violence against Women has been announced. It will review progress and highlight best practice in government efforts to reduce violence against women. The Summit will be held in Brisbane on 27 and 28 October and will be co-hosted by the Premier of Queensland, the Hon Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, and the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP. Online Roundtables will enable contributions from those not attending
• In Victoria, the Department of Education has released the new Respectful Relationship curriculum which will be mandatory in all state schools from foundation year onwards to work towards eliminating gender stereotypes and male privilege.
• In a video interview shared online, ANROWS has discussed with University of New South Wales Associate Professor Jan Breckenridge the project she coordinated to evaluate and compare State and Territory governments’ “Safe at Home” programs addressing homelessness and other issues arising from domestic violence.
• Our Watch is developing a new resource on preventing violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, which is expected to be released in 2017. For more information, click here.
• Jenna Price has written about cuts to funding for legal services, noting that community legal centres including women’s legal services are already forced to turn away 160,000 people each year, a situation that will worsen dramatically once further cuts come into effect in July 2017.
• In Queensland, RizeUp, a non for profit organisation based in the Gold Coast has been making a difference in the lives of women and children survivors by creatively transforming homes using furniture and home items donated online.

Around the World

•  In Liberia, the United Nations has called for an end to the widespread impunity for sexual offenders caused by institutional weakness, corruption and financial constraints.
• In South Africa, Fezekile Kuzwayo, the woman who accused President Jacob Zuma of raping her in 2005, has died. A memorial was held to remember her life and work as well as for activists to reiterate calls for a strong stand against gender-based violence.
• The Scottish government has made a decision to invest £665,000 over the next two years for the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre (SWRC) to expand their work in Dundee and the Highlands, extending their services to more women.
• In the United States, Paul Ang, director of men’s engagement at Centre for Awareness, Response and Education (CARE) has launched NÜ Men, a six-week program of group discussion among university men to deconstruct ideas of masculinity and the attitudes and behaviour that result in violence.  

Research and Reports

• White Ribbon Australia has released findings of a study of its Ambassador Program conducted  by University of Wollongong researchers, Kenton Bell and Claire E. Seaman. Through in-depth interviews and online survey, the project investigated the motivations behind men’s participation in the Ambassador program as well as their roles and the challenges they face as ambassadors.

Get Involved!

• The Office for Women is inviting applications from civil society to be part of the Australian Government delegation to the 61st session of the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61) to be held in New York from13-24 March 2017. The due date for applications has been extended and will now close 59pm AEDST Sunday 30 October 2016.
• WESNET is hosting the Inaugural Technology Safety Summitin Sydney on 21 November 2016. This one-day conference will focus on the various complex issues and concerns that come from the intersection of technology and domestic and sexual violence, and stalking. The Tech Summit will bring together those working with women and their children experiencing violence and other stakeholders from government and corporate Australia. Attendees of the Tech Summit will learn how technology can be misused as a tactic of abuse, how women experiencing gender-based violence can use technology to improve their safety and privacy, how digital evidence can be collected to hold perpetrators accountable, and how agencies can strengthen policies and practices to improve service delivery, and what other support technology and telecommunications companies can provide.  To find out more and register please visit the conference website. Early bird rates close on 21 October.
• ANROWS in partnership with Melbourne Research Alliance to End Violence Against Women and their Children (MAEVe) at the University of Melbourne will hold the free public lecture “Translating Violence Against Women Knowledge into Action” on the 25^th of October in Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson St., Carlton VIC. Register here.
• Lucy’s Project is inviting everyone to join the “Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse-International Perspectives, Conference 2016”, which will be held from 5-6 of November at the Portside Conference Centre, near Wynyard Station, Sydney CBD. Click here to book tickets.
• FECCA is hiring a Communications Advisor for a one year full-time contract until 30 June 2017 with possibility of extension. Click here for more information.
• The National Rural Women’s Coalition Ltd is calling for expressions of interest for the role of Independent Director for a period of two years commencing 24^th of November 2016. To apply or for more information email [email protected].
• The National Rural Women’s Coalition is launching “Brave Danny” a picture book for children on 24^th November from 5-7 pm at Melbourne Ether Conference Centre, 265 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. The book was written by Robin Adolps for children and illustrated by Nicky Johnston. For more information, contact [email protected].
• Across Australia (and elsewhere) Reclaim the Night marches are held on the last Friday in October, to protest violence against women and their children, particularly sexual violence, and to re-assert our right to be safe in public spaces. This year marches will be on Friday 28 October. Check your networks and social media for details about local events. Marches will be held in Brisbane,Canberra (organising led by our member organisation Canberra Rape Crisis Centre), Darwin (organised by our member Ruby Gaea Centre against Sexual Violence), Alice Springs and no doubt elsewhere!
• The Adelaide White Ribbon Breakfast will be held on 25 November at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 6:45 am to 9:00 am. The guest speaker will be the honourable Marcia Neave, chair of the recent Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence. Book here.
• The University of Melbourne has created a website called ‘NotTheOnlyOne’ where women can anonymously read and share stories about experiencing family and domestic violence.
• The National Multicultural Women’s Conference will be held on 3 and 4 November 2016 in Parkroyal Parramatta, Sydney. Find out more here.
• Soroptomist International Australia is sponsoring the Rosie Batty Roadshow from 5 October to 7 November 2016, travelling from Brisbane to Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne and Adelaide. Proceeds will go to the Women’s Legal Services in each capital that Rosie will visit. To buy your tickets click here.