Violence Against Women Bulletin - November 2003
Information Bulletin - November 2003: Volume 7, Issue 3
Expect Respect wins 1st prize
Expect Respect, a community campaign aimed at raising awareness about violence and control in intimate relationships amongst 14 -24 year olds, was awarded 1st prize in two categories (funded projects and population health) in the 2004 Northern Rivers Area Health Service Quality in Health Care Awards.
The Expect Respect campaign has been running for the past two years. It was developed because of the many anecdotal stories of people as young as 12 in relationships where there is violence.
The campaign included production and distribution of a television commercial in Northern Rivers; development of a poster and an information stall at the popular national youth music festival in Byron Bay "Splendour in the Grass".
The staff on the information stall answered enquiries from a large number of young people, gave out a lot of information and had more than 500 responses to a survey on relationship behaviours.
The survey information showed young people want more information on healthy relationships -through television, face-to-face services, web sites and from family and friends.
The television campaign followed wide consultation with six geographically and culturally disparate groups of young people in the Northern Rivers. The commercial with the theme 'If you are in an unhealthy relationship, talk to someone', was run in time slots featuring young audiences, including Big Brother, Neighbours, The Simpsons and The Secret Life of Us.
'We hope that raising awareness about healthy relationships will encourage young people to change their behaviour in relationships, talk to someone about what is happening, or get out of a problematic relationship.” said Mary Willis, Regional Violence Prevention Specialist in the Northern Rivers. The project is an initiative of the Kids Really Count interagency in the Northern Rivers. The campaign was funded by the NSW Department of Gaming and Racing out of the Casino Grants Fund. For more information contact Mary Willis on 6620 2132.
Transit Officers join Reclaim the Train
Reclaim the Train is an initiative of the NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women and City Rail, which has been running since 1999.
This year the Reclaim the Train project included the development of a training program for City Rail Transit Officers on safety issues related to women. The training sessions that were conducted by staff of the Violence Against Women Unit, includes women’s fear of crime on public transport, sexual assault and domestic violence, and the roles of transit officers in making train travel safer for women passengers.
The Chief Transit Officers reported that the training was very interesting, informative and useful for their work.
Reclaim the Train 2003 also included the display of posters at 25 stations in the City Rail network and distribution of information cards by City Rail Transit Officers and NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women Staff, on trains, at stations and other locations around Sydney.
Over 300 Transit Officers have been employed by City Rail to enhance safety for passengers, the Transit Officers will be replacing the Chubb Security staff. All Transit Officers receive a three-month training course and biannual refresher training. From October this year the session on issues for women travellers, in particular women’s safety was introduced as a part of the Reclaim the Train project.
For more information contact the Violence Against Women Specialist Unit on 9228 7899.
Work with children and young people
Puppet helps facilitate Children and Domestic Violence Forum
A unique approach to facilitation was used at the Children and Domestic Violence forum held on 30th October, during the YWCA's Week Without Violence. Billy Deane, one of the Jannawi Kids puppets and Chris Burke, Director of Jannawi Family Centre, facilitated an expert panel session and interagency discussion groups.
Over 150 workers from the Inner West and Bankstown areas participated in the session. The workers discussed effective solutions and local partnerships in working with children, young people and families whose lives are affected by domestic violence.
Speakers discussed a range of initiatives including the research conducted by Rosemount Youth and Family Service on adolescent violence against parents, the new Canterbury/Bankstown Interagency DV Response Team and the DVPASS or the Yellow Card scheme used by Police for victims of domestic violence.
The session was organised by an interagency group drawn from the Central Sydney Regional Reference Group for the Prevention of Violence Against Women. Follow up sessions will be organised early next year to look at good practice models of the interagency approach to dealing with domestic violence. For further information contact Regional Violence Prevention Specialist for Central Sydney: Matina Mottee on 9715-0448.
Love Bites the Mid North Coast
Year 10 students from Kempsey High School, on the NSW Mid North Coast, recently took part in a new program, "Love Bites", a creative project engaging young people in thinking and talking about domestic violence and sexual assault.
The program is divided into three stages: Education, Creation and Consolidation. Students developed resources and creative arts pieces around issues of domestic and sexual violence, including a hip hop song, artwork and drama pieces. A student "roving reporting" team captured the action of the days events.
Students were actively involved in creating their own learning experiences during the days, and received information on local support services in the area.
The program incorporates information and resources from a range of existing programs and theoretical models, including the Central Coast's "Kinks & Bends" program, the Victorian website "When Love Hurts", and a narrative therapy style of externalising ideas.
Feedback from the 66 students in attendance was overwhelmingly positive. Students said that the information was important to them and that there "should be more days like this".
Angela Walsh, Women's Health Educator stated: "The feedback from the students was overwhelming, they really loved the out of school day and the respectful style of the program, the hip hop group were so inspired they worked through lunch and didn't want to go home".
Pre and post surveys also confirmed that the students' knowledge of relationship violence, particularly sexual assault, increased as a result of the project.
"We were amazed at the way the project came together. The contribution from the local service providers and the teachers and students from the School was exceptional!" said Kirsten Busby, The Mid North Coast Regional Violence Prevention Specialist, who was involved in the consultation, development and implementation of the project.
The involvement of local services in the development and delivery of Love Bites also resulted in the young people being introduced to local counsellors and workers in an informal and "safe" environment. For more information contact Kirsten Busby on 6588 2913.
Hundreds of students attend special sessions in the Hunter
Almost 500 high school students participated in education sessions on sexual assault and domestic violence in the Hunter this November.
Over 240 year 10 students at St Pius X High School in Adamstown participated in a special life skills session regarding sexual assault in November.
Six forty minute education sessions were held with classes of 30 to 40 students. The sessions covered information on the definitions of sexual assault and consent, and drug facilitated sexual assault - better known to some as drink spiking. The sessions were facilitated by Jillian Meyers-Brittain, Hunter Regional Violence Prevention Specialist and Lisa Mason, Psychologist and Trainer for the Hunter Sexual Assault Service.
About 225 year 11 students at Callaghan College in Jesmond attended one of three, one and a half hour sessions presented by Ms Meyers Brittain and Ms Mason. Each group had approximately 75 students. These sessions included issues of sexual assault as well as a section on the definitions and types of domestic violence and their effects.
“While these sessions are brief and only allow for a broad-brush approach with basic information and discussion, they often stimulate some young people to think about what they want and don't want in their relationships.” said Jillian Meyers Brittain.
“While most people can identify violence in its physical forms some of the subtler forms of non-physical violence such as intimidation, coercion, psychological and emotional violence are not recognised. It is important to educate young people on these types of violence and inform them that this is not a normal part of a relationship that they have to tolerate or perpetrate” continued Ms Meyers Brittain.
All students received information on resources and support available to them and their families if they required any assistance. For further information contact Jillian Meyers Brittain on 4929 0921.
New projects and research
Carwoola Warriors take on a new challenge
The Carwoola Council of Elders prompted a partnership between their Council, the Carwoola Warriors and the NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women because of their concern about violence in the local community and the impact of violence on children.
They believed that the Violence Against Women: It’s Against All the Rules campaign was a good way to engage young Aboriginal men in challenging their own attitudes to violence on and off the field and to reinforce the message that family violence is not part of the Aboriginal culture and community values.
The project included discussion groups, community events, development of a team code of conduct, wearing anti-violence messages on the team jerseys and a banner.
Community members took a lead role in advising and developing the teams code of conduct which included a commitment to non-violence, and also in determining the workshop session format, topics and activities.
The Carwoola Warriors successfully competed in the annual Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout held in Kurrie Kurrie in October, whilst wearing the message: Violence Against Women: It’s Against All the Rules - screen printed on the jerseys by Tharawal Aboriginal Land Council. The team management and players also arranged for the Violence Against Women: It’s Against All the Rules banner to travel with the team and be displayed at all the matches.
The team, management, community members and the Regional Violence Prevention Specialist (RVPS) enjoyed a BBQ lunch after training and an informal discussion focused on concerns regarding family violence and related services. The non-threatening environment kept everyone at ease and players committed to be role models and to talk to other men on issues of family violence.
Several hundred community members also attended NAIDOC activities held in Minto, organised by the Carwoola Council of Elders.
A strong sense of community enveloped the activities which included the launch of the Carwoola Warriors football colours, cultural performers, a back drop of the Campaign banner, a community BBQ, an Elders menu, amusements, rides and giveaways, information stalls and discussions about preventing violence against women. Project partners include: Carwoola Council of Elders, the RVPS for South West Sydney with support from Women’s Legal Resource Centre Indigenous Women’s Program and South West Sydney Women’s Housing. For more information contact Bernadette Fleeton on 9821 8527.
Violence Excluded – A study into exclusion orders in South East Sydney
The first known study into exclusion orders in NSW has recently been completed by the Regional Violence Prevention Specialist for South East Sydney, Robyn Edwards.
An exclusion order, is a condition of an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO), which prohibits the defendant from living in the premises occupied by the protected person, such premises being the place of residence of both parties, or the “family home”.
The study involved researching the cases that came before Waverley and Sutherland local courts on domestic violence “list” days between January and August 2002. Thirty-two cases were captured by the study.
The aims of the study included to:
- identify cases where exclusion orders were sought, granted or denied at the two courts on AVO “list” days over a six-month period, February–July 2002 inclusive;
- document and analyse the key themes relating to exclusion orders, and the reasons given for refusal of orders;
- provide information about exclusion orders, and to raise the profile of exclusion orders in South East Sydney;
- consider appropriate ways local courts might record and collate information pertaining to exclusion orders, in the future.
Seventeen key issues for consideration by agencies were identified by the study. They related to improving choices available to women victims of violence; improving the visibility of exclusion orders; accommodation options for defendants; the interests of children; the role of police prosecutors; the integration of exclusion orders with other domestic violence initiatives, and the need for further research and development work.
Most importantly, the study proposes that the safety needs of women and children be given primary attention, over and above the accommodation needs of the defendant.
The study was undertaken in collaboration with the South East Sydney Regional Reference Group, Waverley and Sutherland local courts, the Waverley and Southern Sydney Women’s Domestic Violence Court Assistance Schemes, together with the assistance of the Kingsford Legal Centre. The report will soon be available on the VAW Unit website www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/cpd
Enhancing Services for Aboriginal Women Experiencing Domestic/Family Violence
The Bega and Wellington pilot projects which aim to to identify and address barriers and issues for Aboriginal women accessing mainstream services, have established steering committees. The committees were established to facilitate collaboration and community engagement, members including staff from mainstream government and community agencies and community elders where possible.
In Wellington, the steering committee gave the project its own identity by naming the project the “Bulla Billa” project, meaning two rivers as Wellington is in between two rivers. A “Yarn Up” is planned for the early new year to provide an opportunity for Aboriginal women and the community to raise some of the issues and barriers they experience in accessing mainstream services and also to work together with the services to explore ways in which to address these issues.
In Bega, a camp is being organised which will provide the perfect avenue to consult with women regarding their experiences of accessing services. For more information contact Maria Scott (Bega) 02 6492 2223, Christine Foreman (Wellington) 02 6845 1606.
New Websites
Bursting the Bubble, a new website for young people about domestic violence has been developed by the Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre, Victoria. www.burstingthebubble.com
The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault has been established as a part of the National Initiative to Combat Sexual Assault in Australia, see the website on www.aifs.org.au/acssa
Strategy Staff changes
Farewell and thanks to Tashe Long and Cath Hastings
Both Tashe and Cath have worked with the Strategy since it’s inception in 1997. We thank them both for their invaluable contribution of innovative and tireless work to prevent violence against women in regional and rural NSW. We look forward to working with Cath in her new capacity in the Department of Health and Tashe in the Department of Education and Training
The South Eastern Sydney Changeover
Thanks to Rebecca Pinkstone for her wonderful work in South Eastern Sydney. Rebecca will be returning to work as Regional Adviser in the Crime Prevention Division in December, and Robyn Edwards will be returning to the position as Regional Violence Prevention Specialist after her secondment to the Australian Family and Domestic Violence Clearing House.
Welcome to Libby Carney and Christine Foreman
Libby joins the Strategy as the Regional Violence Prevention Specialist for the Upper Far West region of NSW. Libby previously worked as the Community Development Worker for the Top End Women’s Legal Service. Libby has also been active in the establishment of the National Network of Indigenous Women’s Legal Services, and coordinated the “Our Strong Women – Indigenous Women Law and Leadership” Project for the Network in 2002 and 2003, the project provided advocacy training to 13 locations throughout the Australia.
Christine Foreman has joined the Strategy as the Project Officer for the Enhancing Services to Aboriginal Women project based in Wellington. Christine is replacing Pam Toomey who resigned from the post for personal reasons. We wish to thank Pam for her work in getting the first steering committee together. Christine comes to the project with a extensive experience in domestic violence and sexual assault, including coordination the Dubbo Court Assistance Scheme and as the project officer for the Domestic Violence Integrated Responses project in Dubbo.
Upcoming Conferences
February 12 ‘I Call It Symptoms of Abuse’ Exploring the Links Between Domestic Violence and Mental Health, Sydney. Contact: Jan Breckenridge, Centre for Gender Related Violence Studies, UNSW Tel: (02) 9385 1863
February 26 Policing Issues in Firearms. See www.criminology.more.usyd.edu.au
February 26 - 27 National Victims of Crime Conference: 'Bringing Healing to Victims of Crime: Restoration and Transformation', Sydney NSW. Greg Pankhurst Mission Australia Victims Support Service Tel: (02) 8218 9414
April 7-9 2004 Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Conference, San Diego, California, USA. www.mysati.com
April 25-28 Innovations in Understanding Violence Against Women, 2004 International Research & Action Conference, Massachusetts, USA. See www.wcwonline.org/conference
May 23 - 26 Conflict to Cooperation - Beyond Bullying: Class/Sex/Race - Status/Gender/Ethnicity: Making Difference Work, Hobart. Anti-Discrimination Commission, Tasmania www.justice.tas.gov.au/adc/adcfrontpage
Regional Violence Prevention Specialists (RVPS) Contact List
| 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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