Violence Against Women Bulletin - August 2000
Information Bulletin - August 2000: Volume 4, Issue 2
A Welcome to this edition of the Bulletin by the new Attorney General, Bob Debus
“Our Government initiated the NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence against Women three years ago. During this time the Strategy has significantly raised the profile of issues of violence against women in the public consciousness. The Council on Violence Against Women, the Violence Against Women Specialist Unit and the Regional Violence Prevention Specialists have achieved real partnerships between Government, non-Government service providers and the community in dealing with these issues.
A crucial aspect of the Strategy’s implementation has been the work of Regional Violence Prevention Specialists. Through programs and projects they have been instrumental in promoting the Strategy’s principles of violence prevention and partnership. As a result of their efforts we have seen development of regional best practice models for police dealing with domestic violence, organisation of an extremely successful Domestic Violence Forum and production of community education campaigns, sending a strong message that violence against women is not acceptable.
The Strategy represents an exciting development in the Government’s efforts to prevent crime against women and I am extremely pleased to be involved with the Strategy as part of my new portfolio.”
Bob Debus was appointed the new Attorney General on 28 June 2000, following the retirement of Mr Jeff Shaw QC.
Strategy Update - The New Look Unit: Introducing Jane and Rochelle
Jane Wangmann takes up new position of Senior Project Officer, aimed at strengthening and sustaining the Strategy
Jane joined the Violence against Women Specialist Unit after three years working as a solicitor at the Domestic Violence Advocacy Service, involved in rural court support training projects.
The Senior Project Officer’s role includes keeping the Strategy informed of recent national and international research and projects, aimed at reducing and preventing violence against women, and assisting the Specialists to evaluate projects they undertake in their regions. In taking up this position in the Unit, Jane said:
“This is an exciting time to join the Violence Against Women Specialist team - the Strategy has been in place for three years and a great deal has been achieved through projects conducted by the Specialists and in partnerships between key Government agencies that support the Strategy. Going into the next three years we have a great deal to reflect and build on in order to make developments in the regions sustainable in bringing about the non-tolerance of violence against women and its reduction.”
New Policy Officer
The Unit has appointed Rochelle Braaf as its new Policy Officer. The role of the Policy Officer involves conducting research on policy issues, working with the Council on Violence against Women and its various sub-committees and providing support for the Regional Violence Prevention Specialists.
Rochelle is assisting the selection process of new community members of the Council. An expression of interest regarding renewal of Council membership was advertised and all existing Council members were canvassed for their availability for reappointment. A selection panel has been established to review applications received and new community members will be appointed in the coming months.
Rochelle is also involved in Council’s Working Party targeting improved service provision to Indigenous women experiencing violence.
For further information contact Jane on (02) 92288621 or Rochelle on (02) 9228 8437
Farewells...
The Violence Against Women Specialist Unit sadly farewells two of its staff: Karen Heller (Manager) has moved to a new role within the Victims Compensation Tribunal and Tahn O’Brien (Project Officer), has moved to the Premier’s Department as Project Manager of the Community Drug Information Strategy. Unit staff and Regional Violence Prevention Specialists would like to thank Karen and Tahn for their contributions to development and implementation of the Strategy and wish them both well in their new positions.
The Unit welcomes Chris Shipway, Senior Project Manager in the Crime Prevention Division, to the interim role of Acting Manager of the Unit. A permanent VAWSU Manager position has been advertised.
Welcome to new specialists just appointed!
Joan Dickson in Bourke, Gargi Ganguly in Dubbo, Kirsten Busby in Port Macquarie and Rebecca Matthew in Illawarra. Please feel free to contact them (see details on back page) and make yourselves known to these new workers.
“I was born and bred in Bourke. I am a Yularoi woman. I have worked in the area of community development and planning for the past 8 years, after working with women and children in crisis for over three years” Joan Dickson
Strategy Partners
The NSW Government Departments of Police, Health, Community Services and Women are all active Strategy partners. Here they keep us up to date with some of their recent initiatives in the area of violence against women.
NSW HEALTH
Screening for Domestic Violence in Health Services
Domestic violence is a widespread problem for women, with profound implications for their health status. Routinely screening for domestic violence provides critical opportunities for disclosure, as well as early identification and intervention. The NSW Health Department has secured Commonwealth funding from Partnerships Against Domestic Violence to pilot the introduction of routine screening for domestic violence in selected Emergency Departments, Antenatal Services, Drug and Alcohol, and Mental Health Services.
The 12 week pilot will commence in August in two Area Health Services – South East Sydney and Macquarie – followed by implementation across Areas in 2001. An Interagency Advisory Group has been convened to support the project, with representation from key Government departments and non-government organisations. The project will include an evaluation conducted by a team from the University of Sydney.
Women report that the main reason for not disclosing experiences of violence is that they are not asked.
The practice of routinely screening for domestic violence has become more widespread internationally and within Australia. Screening provides women with an opportunity to talk to a health professional about their experiences of abuse and enables health workers to intervene to assist women understand their options and prioritise their safety.
For more info please contact Ms Lydia Campillo at NSW Health on (02) 9391 9837
DEPARTMENT FOR WOMEN
New Women and Violence Booklets
The Department for Women recently published two new booklets about women and violence, written for women in the community:
What You Can Do If You Experience Domestic Violence, written by Kate Munro from the Domestic Violence Advocacy Service, provides general information about domestic violence, as well as legal and other remedies. It explains how to apply for an Apprehended Violence Order and what happens in court. The booklet looks at legal issues, such as family law and how to make complaints. It also outlines types of assistance available, including victim’s compensation and housing options.
What You Can Do If You Experience Sexual Assault was written by Pia Van de Zandt from Women’s Legal Resources Centre. It provides general information about sexual assault and options available to women who have experienced it. A section on sexual assault and the law covers reporting to the police, the police investigation and going to court. The booklet also explains how to make complaints and refers to assistance available, including compensation and counselling.
You can order printed copies of the booklets through the Women’s Advice and Referral Service on 1800 817 227 or via our website: http://www.women.nsw.gov.au, or you can download copies from the website.
Carole Ruthchild, Senior Policy Officer
NSW POLICE SERVICE
NSW Police Service Standing Operating Procedures
New Standing Operating Procedures (SOPS) for police dealing with domestic violence ensures that the Police Service gives victims even greater protection and support. The Police Service marked Stop Domestic Violence Day on 26 April 2000 with the launch of the new SOPS and policy at Parliament House by Police Minister Paul Whelan and Commander Chris Evans, the NSW Police Corporate Spokesperson on Domestic Violence.
The aim of Stop Domestic Violence Day is to encourage women who are victims of domestic violence to report incidents to police.
Police respond to more than 240 reported incidents of domestic violence per day and initiate more than 80 apprehended violence orders per day.
Commander Evans said the new procedures were developed in consultation with various agencies dealing with domestic violence, including the NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women. These changes will allow us to implement a number of recommendations from the recent report by the NSW Ombudsman into Policing Domestic Violence in NSW.
For more details, please ring Tracey Hales on (02) 93395239
Regional Violence Prevention Program
The Strategy employs 17 Regional Violence Prevention Specialists (RVPS) in each of the Area Health regions of NSW.
The Specialists are physically located with the Police Service, Area Health or Area Community Services. They play a key role in implementing community development and community education programs in their region. This Bulletin features the work of Specialists in the Mid Western, Greater Murray and Western Sydney Regions.
Supporting the work of Local Domestic Violence Committees
On 29 May 2000 a Regional Domestic Violence Forum was held in Orange to promote and celebrate the work of the 11 Local Domestic Violence Committees in the Mid Western region.
The aims of the Forum were to:
- share resources and build networks;
- increase knowledge about available services and roles of service providers;
- increase knowledge of crime prevention strategies;
- increase awareness of equity and diversity in our communities; and
- take away ideas for action.
The night before the Forum, snow fell from the Blue Mountains to Orange, roads were cut and planes delayed. “This didn’t stop us,” said RVPS Helen Kay, “and in spite of the weather 80 participants braved the conditions to contribute in a very positive way to the success of the day.”
A highlight of the day was an inspiring performance by the Older Women’s Network Theatre Group. The women spoke about their own experiences of violence and celebrated their healing in their songs.
For more details, or to get a copy of the Forum Report, please contact Helen Kay on (02) 6361 6925
Good things come to those who wait in the Greater Murray Region
Patience has proved to be a virtue with a project that was to be implemented in the first of the Regional Action Plans for Greater Murray. The project aims to increase knowledge of the nature and extent of violence against women in the Greater Murray region and has three components:
- development and implementation of a community education campaign that highlights all forms of violence against women;
- a regional phone-in and review of current research regarding issues of violence against women in rural and remote areas, and
- compilation of a report about violence against women in the Greater Murray region.
“We have produced exciting television advertisements for stage 1 of our community education campaign. The ads will soon be seen on regional television….so stay tuned!.”
The advertisements are focussed on raising awareness of young women about violence and, in particular, emotional and psychological abuse. The ads are generic, allowing them be used in all areas of NSW and space is available to include local services and local messages.
“We are very proud of the quality of the advertisements, thanks to the work of the Regional Reference Group and Simon Smithers of Precision Pictures. What’s more, our group did all this with only $1500.”
For more details contact RVPS Karen MacLean on (02) 60 237111.
Jack and the Beanstalk - talking with kids about violence
This innovative prevention project in Western Sydney aims to raise awareness of domestic violence and child protection issues among primary school students through interactive story-telling sessions. Stories used are popular children’s stories, such as Jack and the Bean Stalk, building in elements of bullying, power and control, abuse and neglect. The stories incorporate information and ideas about how to seek help.
The project was piloted in June 2000 at the Matthew Pearce Public School, which successfully implemented an anti-bullying program a year earlier. Story-telling sessions were interactive so that students could express their thoughts, ideas and feelings during the narration process. Many players were involved in supporting this project, in particular the Department of Education and Training and the principal, staff and parents of the primary school.
RVPS Rugmini Venkatraman explained that the project emphasised that:
- children have a right to feel safe;
- violence is not acceptable behaviour;
- adults have a responsibility to protect children; and
- children can express what they feel to someone they trust, if they find themselves in an unsafe situation.
A video and demonstration package for other schools are being developed from the pilot project.
For more details contact Rugmini Venkatraman on (02) 9633 0717
What’s on, What’s new
New DVAS Resources for Vietnamese and Arabic Speaking Women
The Domestic Violence Advocacy Service (DVAS) has recently translated its popular training package, “Taking Orders - Apprehended Violence Orders in NSW” into Arabic and Vietnamese.
The resources were produced with funding assistance from the Law Foundation of NSW and the NSW Department for Women and were launched on April 26, Stop Domestic Violence Day 2000, at Parliament House. Two survivors of violence from the target communities spoke movingly and powerfully of a need for appropriate and accessible resources in their communities, as part of an overall strategy to support women from non-English speaking backgrounds experiencing domestic violence.
“I believe that implementing change is going to take time, but every step taken towards teaching the community about domestic violence is a step closer to a better understanding of this phenomenon,” said Sue Hafzer at the launch.
“I urge women from Arabic speaking backgrounds to start examining their beliefs about their role in our society and I urge mothers to encourage their sons to examine their beliefs about honour, family and what makes them good sons, husbands and fathers.”
The package contains a subtitled video and accompanying booklet translated from English. Each package costs $70 (including postage) for community organisations and $110 for Government agencies. If you would like more information about the resources or like to place an order, please contact Sarah Stewart at DVAS on (02) 96375020, ext 212.
Off the Beaten Track visits Crookwell, Young, Dalgety, Braidwood and Moruya
A story of country and city women coming together to share ideas, life experiences and issues of concern for older women.
Tour organisers: Betty Murphy and Sam Smart (Older Women’s Network), Kate Lohse (Women’s Health Co-Ordinator - Southern Area Health) and Tashe Long (RVPS - Southern Region). For a free copy of the video ring Tashe on Ph: (02) 6298 9966
Coming up in your region soon
- Seminar: Children Affected by Domestic Violence. Condobolin on 18 August phone Helen Kay on (02) 6361 6925
- South East Sydney Area Women’s Health Open Day. Sydney on 30 August phone Robyn Edwards on (02) 9382 8145
- Launch of disability anti-violence poster and cards. Camden Paralympic Expo on 12 October phone Lilian Gomez on (02) 9821 8527
- Northern Rivers Region Aboriginal Women’s Conference, Evans Head on 17-19 October phone Mary Willis or Debra Rhodes on (02) 66250 111
Regional Violence Prevention Specialists
| Regional Specialist | Area Health Region | Phone |
| Kirsten Busby | Mid North Coast | (02) 6588 2913 |
| Joan Dickson | Far West | (02) 6872 1795 |
| Robyn Edwards | South Eastern Sydney | (02) 9382 8145 |
| Gargi Ganguly | Macquarie | (02) 6881 2346 |
| Lilian Gomez | South Western Sydney | (02) 9821 8527 |
| Cathy Hastings | New England | (02) 6768 2814 |
| Jenny Huxley | Northern Sydney | (02) 9976 8020 |
| Anoop Johar | Wentworth | (02) 4732 1322 |
| Helen Kay | Mid Western | (02) 6361 6925 |
| Tashe Long | Southern | (02) 6298 9966 |
| Karen MacLean | Greater Murray | (02) 6058 1850 |
| Rebecca Matthew | Illawarra | (02) 4254 0302 |
Jillian Meyers-
Brittain | Hunter | (02) 4929 0921 |
| Matina Mottee | Central Sydney | (02) 9715 0448 |
| Chris Smith | Central Coast | (02) 4320 2575 |
Rugmini
Venkatraman | Western Sydney | (02) 9633 0717 |
| Mary Willis | Mid North Coast | (02) 6620 2132 |
The Violence Against Women Specialist Unit and regional violence prevention specialists are central elements in the NSW Strategy To Reduce Violence Against Women which is an NSW intergovernmental strategy funded by: The NSW Attorney General’s Department, NSW Department of Community Services, NSW Health, NSW Police and in partnership with the Department for Women.
This bulletin is for anyone interested in the prevention of violence against women and is intended to inform people about the NSW Strategy To Reduce Violence Against Women and its implementation. For more information about the Bulletin contact the Violence Against Women Specialist Unit.
ISSN 1328-437
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