Violence Against Women Bulletin - August 2003
Information Bulletin - August 2003: Volume 7, Issue 2
Domestic Violence Hypothetical
Media personality Julie McCrossin facilitated a hypothetical debate entitled “Domestic Violence Hypothetical: how the system works, and when it does not” as an activity for Stop Domestic Violence Day 2003.
Over 200 people attended the event, which was an initiative of the South Eastern Sydney Combined Domestic Violence Committees.
Two case studies, presented to a panel of service providers, were used to examine the range of pathways women in domestic violence negotiate, when living with domestic violence or seeking assistance.
The case studies promoted discussion between panel members and the audience about a range of practice and policy issues. Current issues including family law, children and domestic violence (including child protection) and responses to perpetrators were highlighted in the discussion.
The hypothetical proved useful for exploring instances where interagency responses were lacking and ways that service provision could be enhanced. The focus on building links with Aboriginal workers and organisations proved very popular with participants.
The steering committee received extremely positive feedback from participants in terms of the events relevance to workers’ practice, the new knowledge and information presented and in the hypothetical format itself.
The South Eastern Combined Domestic Violence Committee is comprised of St George, Sutherland and Eastern Suburbs. For more information contact the Regional Violence Prevention Specialist for South East Sydney, Rebecca Pinkstone on 9382 8145.
Young rappers enjoy ‘awesome’ and ‘mad’ workshop
A rap workshop focussing on sexual assault was held in Tamworth with 15 young people (11 guys and 4 young women) during youth week in April.
The Rap Workshop was part of the On the Level project coordinated by the Regional Violence Prevention Specialist in the New England Region. The project aims to engage broader community groups, service providers and young people regarding sex, consent, alcohol and other drug issues.
Rap was chosen as a medium because a lot of young people 'connect' with rap, making it a way to engage the interest of young people whilst discussing the serious issues such as sexual assault and drug misuse.
Rap artist Joel Wenitong set the scene for the workshop. He talked about the history of Rap and using Rap as a way of expressing messages and meaning, and discussed the finer points of rapping, writing lyrics and recording. Then a discussion with the young people about sexual assault was facilitated by the New England Health, Sexual Assault Counsellor Melissa Johnstone and NSW Police JIRT Team Leader Cynthia Donovan.
Following this discussion, the young people began writing, recording, mixing and editing rap tracks. By Sunday afternoon all participants had recorded their own CD. Most of the recordings reflected on the theme of sexual assault.
During the weekend, Mark Shields, a radio technician from Merriwa made a series of recordings with young people, service providers, parents and a doctor about the sexual assault, consent and the intersection of drugs, alcohol and identity. Mark condensed 5 hours of recordings into a half hour radio documentary. It’s hoped that the radio documentary can be used to educate other young people.
According to the young people, the workshop was ‘awesome’, ‘sick’ and ‘mad’....for the unknowing, this means it was really enjoyable.
For more information on the workshop or about the recording please contact New England RVPS, Cathy Hastings on 6768 2814
Awaaz group launches booklet in Punjabi
The women's group of the Australian Sikh Association ‘Awaaz’ has been involved with a project to reduce domestic violence since 2001. Awaaz means ‘a call’, the women chose this name because it can be interpreted as ‘a call for help’.
Awaaz works on projects to raise understanding and awareness about domestic violence in the Sikh community, develop appropriate resources and implement prevention measures in reducing domestic violence.
Culturally appropriate strategies have been implemented to achieve the aims of the project. This has included guest speakers and cultural activities at monthly meetings, forums and seminars on domestic violence, community events, picnics, a camp with workshops, and the development of resources in Punjabi on domestic violence.
One resource developed by the group , in Punjabi, is the ‘Women and Violence: what you can do if you experience domestic violence’ booklet.
The booklet was launched in July at Parklea Sikh Temple by Barbara Gapps, a Councillor from Blacktown City Council. About 300 people were present at the launch. Community and religious leaders were also present on the day.
The project also aims to establish and expand a Sikh women's network/ support group, and provide women with appropriate counselling services through the Associations counselling resources.
Funding for this project was received from the Department for Women in 2001, and is coordinated by a group of Sikh women with the support of the Regional Violence Prevention Specialist in the Wentworth region. For more information contact Anoop Johar on 4732 1322.
“Not just ramps and multilingual posters…."
55 organisations attended this one-day forum exploring issues facing women with a disability experiencing violence and who come from a non-English speaking background, in Western Sydney in July.
The need for the forum was identified by local domestic violence committees, and was coordinated by the Regional Violence Prevention Specialist in the Western Sydney region and a working group of other local workers. Women with a disabilities are often marginalised and services are not aware of their specialised needs, don't have the skills in responding to them appropriately; and disability services themselves need skilling up in making their services more accessible & equitable to women from non-English speaking backgrounds.
The forum aimed to raise awareness of the complexity of issues which affect women with a disability, or women who are carers of a person with disability, from a non-English speaking background and who are experiencing violence. The forum also aimed to provide participants with concrete strategies, information materials and ideas to take away and help make their service more accessible to these women.
Several women with a disability, who were consumers of MDAA, spoke about their own personal experiences and volunteered to over see the registration desk and organise morning and afternoon tea at the Forum.
The Forum was organised by the Western Sydney Regional Violence Prevention Specialist in partnership with Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association and Immigrant Women Speakout Association. For more information call Rugmini Venkatraman 9633 0717.
Sexual Safety Training held for Unit Managers
Managers of the Metal Health Units in the Hunter region attended a three-day training programme in order to increase safety for clients who have contact with mental health services.
One of the key elements of the training programme was that each unit manager develop a sexual safety action plan for implementation in their Mental Health Unit.
A review of sexual incident forms and anecdotal evidence on the extent of alleged lack of sexual safety within Mental Health Services, prompted the Hunter Mental Health Sexual Safety Working Group's recommendation to provide client sexual safety training to Mental Health Managers.
Over 50% of women with a mental illness are estimated to have experienced sexual assault as children. With particular diagnostic categories such as personality disorders and dissociative illnesses having incident rates as high as 70-80%.
Despite these figures, mental health models of intervention have historically denied, minimised and misinterpreted sexual abuse as a symptom of a delusional or psychotic episode, and have been responded to with a review of medication. The marginalisation, stigmatisation and discrimination of people with a mental illness also further increases their vulnerability to abuse (McNamara 1998).
The training included identification of potential barriers to change within the services.
The groups also identified the strategies for consultation, education and how to seek upper management support of the sexual safety action plans.
Unit Managers attended a follow-up half-day session six weeks after the initial training. They reported on the implementation, evaluation and modifications of those action plans within their workplaces.
The training was designed and facilitated by Lisa Mason, psychologist and trainer with Hunter Sexual Assault Service, and Jillian Meyers-Brittain, Hunter Regional Violence Prevention Specialist, both members of the Hunter Sexual Safety Working Group. For more information phone Jillian on 4929 0945.
Enhancing Services
The Enhancing services for Aboriginal women experiencing domestic/family violence project, is an 18 month project being piloted in Bega and Wellington, coordinated by the Violence Against Women Specialist Unit.
Two part time Project Officers start work in September. They will be based with Southern Women’s Housing, and the Wellington Information and Neighbourhood Service, to work with mainstream service providers and Aboriginal communities to identify barriers to Aboriginal women accessing services.
The project will work closely with service providers to develop and implement strategies to address the barriers to access.
The project is jointly funded by the Attorney General’s Department and the Department of Community Services.
News from the VAW Strategy Partners
Women on Wheels Tour 2003 and Women’s Grants programme
In October 2003, the Department for Women will be running its third Women on Wheels (WOW3) tour, this time to the South West Slopes, the Snowy/Monaro and the Far South Coast regions. WOW3 will start at Cootamundra on Monday October 13 and finish at Bateman's Bay on Thursday October 23.
WOW activities will range from early morning scenic walks in Bateman's Bay to workshops on economic opportunities at Jindabyne, business women's breakfasts at Bombala and in Bega Valley Shire, and sessions on using the Internet to search Family History in Cootamundra. The Older Women's Network Theatre Group, stars of last year's WOW, will perform in most towns on the tour, highlighting a positive and lively image of older women in society. Some performances will also include a segment on domestic violence as a way of opening up the issue in a supportive environment.
WOW3 will also provide an opportunity to create a virtual exhibition, Images of Women Past and Present by combining old family photos and snapshots of WOW participants in various communities in an online gallery. For more information see the Department for Women website on www.women.nsw.gov.au
The New South Wales Department for Women 2003 Women's Grants Program is now open. Small and Large Grants Program closes at 5pm on 26th September 2003. Partnership Projects close at 5pm on 31st October 2003. For more details see the DFW website: www.women.nsw.gov.au
Students engaged in Moving Forward
The Moving Forward Program is a domestic violence prevention program for high schools, developed in Dubbo.
The programme which has been running for 5 years provides education for young people before they develop long-term intimate relationships.
Information is given to assist students to make better informed decisions about who they develop relationships with, how they should behave in a relationship and what type of behaviours they should accept from others.
Moving Forward specifically targets students from year 9 upwards, since these students have the maturity to deal with the complex issues presented. However, other age appropriate variations are also available.
The program is covered in a double period session, so it’s easy for schools to schedule into their busy curricula.
Participants explore the nature of relationship abuse, the effects of domestic violence and beliefs underpinning the perpetration and tolerance of such abuse. Students are also encouraged to consider their own anger management strategies.
The evaluation of the program showed it to be effective in realising a significant decrease in participants tolerance of domestic violence.
Moving Forward facilitator training sessions have also been provided in a number of centers.
The program has been running throughout northern NSW since 1996 and has been presented to more then 3,100 students in about thirty schools. The program is now operating in every school in the Dubbo Department of Education region, and a number of schools in the New England area. Most of these schools receive the program every year or two, so every student can participate in the program at least once.
The Moving Forward program is presented through a partnership between the Department of Education, the NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women (the Regional Violence Prevention Specialist in the Macquarie region) and the Women's Shelter in Armidale. For more information contact Judith Harvey-Nelson, Manager of the Women's Shelter, Armidale (02 6772 5911).
Kids View uses puppets to explore violence and abuse
Two communities in western NSW will be working with puppeteer Chris Gaskin to create their own puppet to tell stories of importance to the community - particularly around violence and abuse.
The Kids View project which will be run in Condobolin and Lake Cargelligo has been supported by the Commonwealth Government Regional Arts Fund.
The idea for Kids View came out of a workshop held in Parkes in 2002 and is based on the work of Chris Burke and her group of puppet characters called the Jannawi Kids.
Chris and the Jannawi kids tell stories about living with domestic and family violence. Using humour and a child's perspective they help children and adults face the difficult issues that arise in violent families - by putting the issues out front, but at a bit of a distance - it can be seen as the puppet kids problem.
Violence is a pervasive issue in indigenous communities and is not easily disclosed or openly talked about. It’s hoped that the project will provide the means by which participants can create their own expression of the pain, grief and hope that go hand in hand with issues of violence and abuse of trust. The use of puppet shows in the community can also encourage the same expression within the communities.
The Kids View project partners are Yoorana Gunya Family Violence Healing Service in Forbes, Central West Family Support Service and the NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women. For more information contact Regional Violence Prevention Specialist in the in Western region Liz MacRaild on 6361 6925.
New Resources
New pamphlet - Koori Love Is
Developed as part of the Getting It Right project in the Mid Western Region of NSW, the brightly coloured Koori Love pamphlets have brief statements about what Koori love is and is not. Support and information phone numbers are also included. For copies please call RVPS Liz MacRaild, or see the VAW website.
Women Violence and the Law pamphlet reprinted
The Women Violence and the Law pamphlets have been evaluated, revised and reprinted. The revised pamphlet has more information for women regarding legal issues, violence, and services available. 14 regional inserts were also developed with localised numbers. For copies of the regional pamphlets contact your Regional Violence Prevention Specialist, numbers below or see the VAW website.
Hey Sister Girl reprinted
The popular Hey Sister Girl pamphlets, first developed as part of a project in Western Sydney/Wentworth areas have been evaluated, revised and reprinted. For copies please call RVPS Rugmini Venkatraman or see the VAW website.
Staff changes
Goodbye and thanks to Rochelle Braaf, Gargi Ganguli and Joan Dickson
The Strategy would like to thank Rochelle for her 3 1/2 years working as the Policy Officer for the Strategy. Rochelle has taken up the position of Senior Policy Officer (Evaluation) for the Crime Prevention Division.
Thanks and best wishes to Gargi, who after 3 years as the Regional Violence Prevention Specialist in the Macquarie region has left to take up the position of Project Manager for Families First based in Dubbo.
Joan left her position as the Regional Violence Prevention Specialist in the Far West region for a post as Client Services Manager with the Department of Community Services as Aboriginal Project Officer, the position is also based in Bourke.
Welcome to Pam Toomey and Maria Scott
Pam will be working in the position of Project Officer in Wellington, and Maria in Bega for the enhancing services to Aboriginal women. Both Pam and Maria have have worked extensively with Aboriginal communities and have a wealth of diverse work experience. Maria has worked for a many years in housing and domestic violence services, and Pam in managing projects on Aboriginal health issues.
Introducing and welcome to Craig McIntosh
Craig McIntosh joined the Strategy as the Policy Officer in September. Craig’s extensive experience comes from positions within commonwealth and state government agencies, his previous position was in the Policy Unit within the Crime Prevention Division. Prior to this he worked in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
Conferences and Events
Women's Grants Program - applications close 26 September 2003. Go to website>>
1st – 3rd Oct Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Conference 2003 Australian Technology Park, Redfern, Sydney, (02) 9241 1478 Go to website>>
23rd – 24th Oct Evaluating crime prevention projects, the Australian Institute of Criminology Sydney, NSW: Go to website>>
23 – 24 Oct National Victims of Crime Conference Canberra, ACT, Email: jane.caruana@act.gov.au
11th November The Domestic Violence Provision (DVP) in Immigration Law run by the Immigrant Women's Speakout Association, Lidcombe, Sydney. For information/registration Phone: (02) 9635 8022
17– 18 Nov No Fear Within Our Family Conference – The National Indigenous Domestic Violence Conference Brisbane, QLD. Ph: 07 5471 3161 Go to website>>
24 – 27 Nov Many Voices, Many Choices; 9th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, Sydney Ph: (03) 9867 5984 Go to website>>
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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