In Victoria, schools will soon offer an elective course on feminism designed by Fitzroy High School’s feminist collective. The course is aimed at male and female secondary students and includes about 30 lessons on systemic sexism, the objectification of women, and the link between gender inequality and violence against women. Teacher Briony O’Keefe says a growing number of boys support the collective, and want to join the class at Fitzroy High, which has reached its maximum intake with about 10 girls and three boys. 

Around the country

• Australia’s Black Panther Woman, Marlene Cummins, has shared her story of abuse in a recent SBS Documentary.
• A recent report has found that domestic and family violence is a serious problem for the LGBTI community.
• Heather Douglas and Leigh Goodmark have written about police officers who commit acts of domestic violence and its implication for victims and the larger domestic violence response system.
• Domestic violence offenders may face monitoring through a GPS anklet device to allow the police to respond more promptly. Currently, Tasmania and the ACT are considering implementing this program.
• Also in the ACT, Year 10 students from Harrison School were the first to go through the “Stop. Think. Say No to Family Violence” education program.
• In the small Aboriginal community of Wurrumiyanga on the Tiwi Islands , hundreds of people have marched in solidarity against domestic violence. The community has also introduced a number of programs addressing domestic violence, with the local footy team taking the lead in drafting the domestic violence action plan.

Around the world

• In Somalia, a free hotline addressing sexual violence amongst communities of internally displaced persons (IDPs) was launched last month.
• In Papua New Guinea, a Human Rights Watch report has found “emergency” levels of domestic violence in the country.
• In Canada, the recently announced cabinet has equal numbers of men and women for the first time in the country’s history.

Get involved

• Women’s Services Network (WESNET), AWAVA’s lead agency, is running a four day training workshop for services and agencies working with or supporting women experiencing gender based violence. The workshop will focus on strategies to address technology facilitated abuse and will run on 26, 27 November and 3, 4 December 2015. The training is funded by the ACT Government and is open to participants from the ACT. Register here!
• Wise Angel Foundation, a newly established charity aimed at providing support to families experiencing domestic violence, is holding its launch event on 14 November 2015 in Melbourne. Register here!
• Community Legal Centres NSW is celebrating its 40^th birthday on 19 and 20 November 2015. Register here!
• Domestic Violence Action Centre Gala Cocktail party will be held on Monday, 23 November 2015 in Ipswich, Queensland. Register here!
• Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research and ANROWS are conducting a national survey relating to the enforcement of domestic violence protections orders in Australia. Complete the survey here by 30 November 2015.
• The 21^st Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International Conference 2016 will be held from 26-28 October 2016. More information here!

AWAVA is hiring! We are looking for a casual policy officer to join our Canberra office for three to four months. The Policy Officer will provide support to the Program Manager to deliver the aims and objectives of AWAVA. On a day to day basis the Policy Officer will be responsible for drafting policy documents (including background research and consultation with AWAVA Advisory Group members), policy analysis, providing advice to the Program Manager, liaising with AWAVA members and other relevant people, and supporting the Alliance’s social media activities. To apply, follow this link!

Around the country

• In NSW, the government has introduced a $60 million package to tackle domestic and family violence, with a particular focus on perpetrator interventions.
• Karen Willis from Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia has commented on the package in an interview with ABC Drum. Watch her interview here.
• Roxanne McMurray from SOS Women’s Services and Leichardt Women’s Community Health Centre has also commented on the package, specifically highlighting that the funding arrangement fails to address the severe shortage of specialist women’s refuges in the state.
• In Queensland, women will no longer have to give evidence in front of their alleged attacker under new laws passed in the state.
• Also in Queensland, local councils across the state led one of the largest marches in Australia to protest domestic violence on Sunday, 11 October.
• Again in Queensland, the Ending Violence Against Women Queensland (EVAWQ) peak body waslaunched at the beginning of this month.
• In the ACT, Women’s Legal Centre ACT has received $1 million under the federal government’s Women Safety Package.
• Also in the ACT, family violence workers have spoken about their experiences of supporting women and children in crisis.
• In Victoria, former police chief commissioner, Ken Lay, has said that cultural changes in the police force were a result of strong women’s voices within the organisation, rather than pressure from government.

Around the world

• In India, female students from university residential colleges in Delhi have started a campaign called Pinjra Tod (Break the Cage) to challenge strict curfews and assert their right to public spaces.
• In the UK, reports show that nearly 200 incidents of so-called ‘revenge porn’ were reported to the police in the first half of this year.

Research, reports and resources

• The Australian Institute of Family Studies has recently released a report evaluating amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth). Read the findings of the Evaluation of the 2012 Family Violence Amendments here. Thank-you to the AWAVA friends and members who contributed to this research.
• Read Issue 5 of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children eNewsletter here!

Get involved!

• The Australian Women Against Violence Alliance, in conjunction with Our Watch, supported by Women’s Services Network, invite you to attend an international conference on violence against women. The conference will be held from 19-22 September 2016. More information here!
• Women’s Legal Service Victoria is holding an interactive workshop to assist support workers to better understand the Family Violence Protection Act on 20 October in Melbourne. Register here.
• The Annual Civil Society Dialogue on Women, Peace and Security is being held on 22 October 2015 in Canberra. More information and registration here!
• The 3^rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters will be held in The Hague from 3 to 6 November 2015. More information here!
• Lucy’s Project is hosting a conference on domestic violence and animal abuse from 6 – 8 November 2015, in Byron Bay. More information here!
• Economic Security For Women (es4w) is conducting an online survey on women’s views on our economic empowerment; our ability to cope with changing conditions in the economy; our participation in paid work and our income in later life and into retirement. Complete the survey here.

Following incidents of sexual assault in Australia’s offshore detention centres, leaders such as Rosie Batty have called on the government to end offshore detention, stating that detention centres are “by their very design, unsafe and dangerous places.” AWAVA has joined the large and growing number of people requesting that the government take urgent action. Read our media release on the issue here.

Around the Country

• In Queensland, child protection services are urging the federal government to pay much needed attention to violence against children.
• Also in Queensland, school principals have said that they would like to be notified when a parent is given a domestic violence order so that they can better assist students.
• In the ACT, ACT Policing has announced two new dedicated family violence teams.
• In Victoria, crime statistics show that reports of domestic violence have increased by 8.8 per cent in the last financial year.
• In NSW, advocates are concerned that no extra funding has been allocated to address increasing demand for support in NSW courts.
• In Orange, NSW, domestic violence services have called for the establishment of a women’s refuge to respond to high rates of domestic violence.
• Psychology PhD candidates from the University of Sydney, Stefano Verrelli and Eileen Chu, have written about masculinity and domestic violence for The Conversation.

Around the World

• In the Bahamas, the National Task Force on Gender-Based Violence revealed their National Strategic Plan last week.
• In Chennai, India, a community policing initiative has been launched to prevent sexual harassment and gender based violence in public spaces.
• The World Bank has called for changes in laws that restrict women’s economic opportunities and hinder participation in business.

Research, Resources and Reports

• Women’s Services Network, Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria and Women’s Legal Services NSW have released a report titled, ‘ReCharge: Women’s Technology Safety’.

Get Involved!

• The Australian Women Against Violence Alliance, in conjunction with Our Watch, supported by Women’s Services Network, invite you to attend an international conference on violence against women. The conference will be held from 19-22 September 2016. More information here!
• True Relationships and Reproductive Health in partnership with the Australia Forum on Sexuality, Education and Health (AFSEH) are calling for speakers who are willing to share their contemporary approaches to relationships and sexuality education in a teacher led forum to be held in February 2016. Apply by 14 October!
• The Canberra Community Sleepout will be held on 16 October 2015. Find out here how you can get involved and help raise awareness about homelessness in Canberra!
• Women’s Legal Service Victoria is holding an interactive workshop to assist support workers better understand the Family Violence Protection Act on 20 October in Melbourne. Register here.
• The 3^rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters will be held in The Hague from 3 to 6 November 2015. More information here!
• Lucy’s Project is hosting a conference on domestic violence and animal abuse from 6 – 8 November 2015, in Byron Bay. More information here!
• Economic Security For Women (es4w) is conducting an online survey on women’s views on their economic empowerment; their ability to cope with changing conditions in the economy; their participation in paid work and their income in later life into retirement. Complete the survey here.
• Australia’s National Research Organisation on Women’s Safety (ANROWS) is hiring a Principal Project Officer (Action Research). More information here! Applications close on 13 October.

This week the Attorney General’s Department announced that nearly $15m of the $100m Women’s Safety Package will be allocated to the establishment of domestic violence hubs. These units will bring various experts such as lawyers, social workers, health professionals and translators to one location. The 12 new domestic violence hubs, six of which will be located in regional Australia, were announced with the intention of making it easier for women to access a range of services in one location.

Around the Country

• AWAVA Chair, Julie Oberin, recently spoke to ABC Central Victoria’s Morning Program about the funding arrangement announced by the Federal Government last week. Listen to her interview here.
• Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria recently launched SmartSafe, an online resource on technology facilitated abuse. Have a look at the website to learn more about online abuse, legal help and support services in all states and territories.
• Our Watch launched a new campaign to challenge young people’s attitudes to violence against women last week. Find out more about the ‘You Can’t Undo Violence Campaign’ here!
• Queensland Minister for Communities, Women and Youth, Shannon Fentiman has written about therole that workplaces can play in preventing and responding to domestic violence.
• In Western Australia, Director of Public Prosecutions figures have revealed that almost half of murder prosecutions in WA between July 2012 and August 2015 were related to domestic violence.
• In Tasmania, support groups are concerned that calls to a State Government run Family Violence Counselling and Support Service are going unanswered due to staff shortages.

Around the World

• According to a new UN Report, 73% of women have experiences cyber violence.
• In Canada, Toronto’s 35^th Take Back The Night rally focused on the experiences of marginalised black lives.
• In Nepal, a mobile application called Nidarr was launched last week. The app allows women to register violence from where they are and links women with support services.

Get Involved!

• AWAVA wants your feedback on our weekly round-up! We are looking to improve our newsletter format and would love to hear your views on what you would like to see in our round-up. Send us an email on [email protected] with ‘FEEDBACK’ as the subject!
• Our Watch is recruiting! 2 positions have become vacant in Our Watch’s Practice Leadership team.Apply by 12 October 2015!
• Economic Security For Women (es4w) is conducting an online survey on women’s views on their economic empowerment; their ability to cope with changing conditions in the economy; their participation in paid work and their income in later life into retirement. Complete the survey here.
• The Women’s World Summit Foundation’s new campaign – 17 Days of Activism for the Empowerment of Rural Women and their Communities – begins on 1 October 2015. More information here!
• The 2015 National Indigenous Domestic Violence Conference will be held on 7 October 2015 in Carrara, Queensland.
• The National Women’s Alliances International Engagement Forum will be held in Sydney on 8 October 2015. The forum will bring together women working towards gender equality in Australia and the development sector. Register here!
• The Asia Pacific Professional Organisation Ltd’s ANZ | Papua New Guinea Gender Parity Symposium will be held from 12 to 15 October in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. More information and tickets here.
• The Festival of THE Rural Woman, a free online global event, is running from 12 to 15 October 2015. Register here!
• True Relationships and Reproductive Health in partnership with the Australia Forum on Sexuality, Education and Health (AFSEH) are calling for speakers who are willing to share their contemporary approaches to relationships and sexuality education in a teacher led forum to be held in February 2016. Apply by 14 October!
• The Canberra Community Sleepout will be held on 16 October 2015. Find out here how you can get involved and help raise awareness about homelessness in Canberra!
• Women’s Legal Service Victoria is holding an interactive workshop to assist support workers better understand the Family Violence Protection Act on 20 October in Melbourne. Register here.
• The 3^rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters will be held in The Hague from 3 to 6 November 2015. More information here!

Welcome to this week’s round up of news about preventing and responding to violence against women. On Thursday last week, the Government released the Women’s Safety Package to Stop The Violence. The $100m package includes funding for school anti-violence programs, steps towards using technology for women’s safety, and expansion of ‘safe at home’ programs. While AWAVA welcomes this announcement, we reiterate our call for adequate resourcing for the full range of programs and services needed to support women. Read our media release here for more detailed comments on the recent announcements.

Around the Country

• Fiona McCormack, CEO of Domestic Violence Victoria and a member of our advisory group, has written an open letter to the Prime Minister on steps he can take to address domestic and family violence.
• Josephine Cashman, chairwoman of the Community Safety Committee of the Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council, has said that domestic violence offenders should face mandatory jail time like one-punch offenders.
• In a recent article in the Brisbane Times, women who were abused during pregnancy have spoken out about their experiences. [This article contains graphic depictions of domestic violence that may be distressing]
• Women experiencing violence are crossing the border from Queensland into NSW since most Gold Coast police stations are shut over weekends.
• In the ACT, Attorney General Simon Corbell has proposed reforms which, if passed, will strengthen domestic violence orders.
• In Victoria, a study conducted by VicHealth has found that young Victorians between the age of 16 and 24 hold concerning views on domestic violence, with a quarter of respondents prepared to excuse violence for reasons such as inability to control anger.
• In South Australia, Commissioner for Victims’ Rights, Michael O’Connell, spoke about the significant gaps in support services for children affected by domestic violence at a recent victims’ support service symposium.

Around the World

• In Canada, women’s issues were discussed by party leaders in an election debate for the first time in 30 years, during a panel discussion organised by Up for Debate.
• In Cambodia, young women are using technology apps to challenge entrenched views on domestic violence and inform women of their rights.
• In New York, news beds will be added to emergency and the transitional shelters for victims of domestic violence for the first time since 2009.

Get Involved!

• AWAVA wants your feedback on our weekly round-up! We are looking to improve our newsletter format and would love to hear your views on what you would like to see in our round-up. Send us an email on [email protected] with ‘FEEDBACK’ as the subject!
• 1800 Respect is holding a webinar on understanding violence against women with disabilities on 1 October. Register here.
• The Women’s World Summit Foundation’s new campaign – 17 Days of Activism for the Empowerment of Rural Women and their Communities – begins on 1 October 2015. More information here!
• The 2015 National Indigenous Domestic Violence Conference will be held on 7 October 2015 in Carrara, Queensland.
• The Asia Pacific Professional Organisation Ltd’s ANZ | Papua New Guinea Gender Parity Symposium will be held from 12 to 15 October in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. More information and tickets here.
• The Festival of THE Rural Woman, a free online global event, is running from 12 to 15 October 2015. Register here!
• The Canberra Community Sleepout will be held on 16 October 2015. Find out how you can get involved and help raise awareness about homelessness in Canberra!
• Women’s Legal Service Victoria is holding an interactive workshop to assist support workers better understand the Family Violence Protection Act on 20 October in Melbourne. Register here.
• The 3^rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters will be held in The Hague from 3 to 6 November 2015. More information here!