Violence Against Women Bulletin - September 1997
Information Bulletin - September 1997: Volume 1, Issue 3
NSW Council on Violence Against Women
The Council is an advisory body which meets four times a year to provide advice to the Attorney General and the Minister for Women.
Changes at the Council
With the restructuring of a number of Government departments, the Council has two new faces:
- NSW Health is now represented by Dr Tim Smyth, Deputy Director General (Policy and Planning).
- NSW Department of Community Services is now represented by Margaret Oldfield, Assistant Director General (Service Development).
While Peter Homel is on a Fullbright scholarship studying crime prevention in the USA, the NSW Attorney General’s Department is represented by Megan Greenwood, Acting Director, Crime Prevention Division.
Update on Council Business
At its meeting on 7 August 1997, the Council approved an Action Plan which outlines the work of the Council for the next 12 months. In order to progress this work, two new sub-committees have been established:
- A Statewide Campaign Sub-Committee will advise on statewide community education campaigns;
- An Audit Sub-Committee will audit and report on the implementation to date of the following four reports:
- NSW Domestic Violence Strategic Plan;
- Dubay Jahli: Aboriginal Women and the Law Report;
- Reclaiming Our Rights: Access to existing police legal and support services for women with disabilities or who are deaf or hearing impaired who are subject to violence; and
- Out of the Blue: A Police survey of violence and harassment against gay men and lesbians.
The Heroines of Fortitude Working Party, a sub-committee established at the Council meeting on 7 April, is continuing to develop an implementation action plan for the report Heroines Of Fortitude: The Experiences Of Women In Court As Victims Of Sexual Assault.
Copies of the Minutes of Council meetings are available from the Violence Against Women Specialist Unit on request. The NSW Council on Violence Against Women will next meet on 6 November, 1997.
For more information on the Statewide Campaigns Sub-Committee, contact Tahn O’Brien, Project Officer with the Violence Against Women Specialist Unit Ph: (02) 9228 8439.
For information about the Audit Sub-Committee or the Heroines of Fortitude Working Party contact Tracey Hales, Policy Officer, Violence Against Women Specialist Unit Ph: (02) 9228 8437.
For copies of the Heroines of Fortitude Report contact the Department for Women Ph:1800 817 227.
Regional Violence Prevention Specialists (RVPS) - A State-wide approach
14 Regional Violence Prevention Specialists have been recruited by regional recruitment panels. Three positions have been readvertised - Southern NSW, Mid-Western and Greater Murray regions.
Regional Violence Prevention Specialists play a pivotal role in the Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women. They provide information on issues identified at a regional level to the NSW Council on Violence Against Women and ensure that service providers in the regions are informed of the work of the Strategy.
The first task of each Regional Violence Prevention Specialist is to convene a Regional Reference Group. Membership of these groups will include representatives of key Government and community-based agencies and groups. Regional Reference Groups will provide a forum for the resolution of regional service delivery issues. They will also assist the Regional Violence Prevention Specialists to identify and develop regional projects in consultation with government, non-government and community sectors, and to document these activities in a Regional Action Plan.
Contact details for the Regional Violence Prevention Specialists are provided as an attachment with this bulletin. Further details can be obtained from Ann Christie, Administration Officer, Violence Against Women Specialist Unit, Ph: 9228 7899.
The Violence Against Women Specialist Unit (VAW Specialist Unit)
The Violence Against Women Specialist Unit is the lead agency in the implementation of the Strategy. The role of the Unit is to facilitate partnership approaches across and between government and community agencies, with the aim of reducing violence against women.
The work of the VAW Specialist Unit includes:
- management and support of the 17 Regional Violence Prevention Specialists;
- secretariat support to the Council and the State Management Group;
- community education; and
- strategic policy advice on issues around violence against women.
What’s happening at the VAW Specialist Unit
The recruitment of Unit staff has been completed. Tracey Hales is the Unit’s new Policy Officer. Tracey has worked in a number of roles in the community sector, including providing services to women and children experiencing domestic violence, community education, training and policy development work. Her current duties include researching and developing policy advice for the Council and for the VAW Specialist Unit.
Tahn O’Brien is the new Project Officer. Tahn has a background in communication, education and training, and resource production. She was previously employed within the NSW Health Department at CEIDA (Centre for Education and Information on Drugs and Alcohol).
The Unit is now fully staffed as follows:
- Claire Vernon, Executive Officer;
- Ann Christie, Administration Officer;
- Tracey Hales, Policy Officer; and
- Tahn O’Brien, Project Officer.
Ongoing Consultation and Information- Keeping you informed
The Violence Against Women Specialist Unit is currently developing a communication strategy. This will ensure up-to-date information on the implementation of the NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence is available throughout NSW. This Bulletin is one part of this strategy.
The Unit is also producing a pamphlet on the NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women. This pamphlet will be widely distributed to service providers and other interested people.
Unit staff and the Regional Violence Prevention Specialists are available to attend forums and provide information on the Strategy. Claire has recently attended/will be attending:
- the Professional Association of Drug and Alcohol Workers annual conference in Sydney, 8 August 1997
- the Local Domestic Violence Conference, Coffs Harbour, 12 September 1997
- the Lismore Women’s Conference, 10 October 1997
Calling for material on the prevention of violence against women
A number of programs, projects and community education campaigns have been developed throughout NSW aimed at responding to violence against women. In order to inform our work, we would appreciate copies of any research, resources or reports which have been produced. Please contact Tahn O’Brien, Project Officer on (02) 9228 8439.
Transfer of Work to the VAW Specialist Unit from Department for Women
A two page document has been released which outlines the tasks that have been transferred to the VAW Specialist Unit from the Department For Women. The document was widely circulated by the Department for Women and further copies are available from the VAW Specialist Unit.
The National Domestic Violence Summit
The Prime Minister and Heads of Government are working towards a Summit on 10 October 1997, at which a number of announcements will be made about national initiatives to be implemented over the next three years. There has been minimal consultation with Government and non-government services to date, due to the tight timeframes.
Following the Summit, the VAW Specialist Unit will organise a forum for Government departments and non-government peak organisations to discuss the National initiatives and the implications for NSW.
Apprehended Violence Legal Issues Co-ordinating Committee
The VAW Specialist Unit has a representative on the Apprehended Violence Legal Issues Co-ordinating Committee which has been convened by the Legislation and Policy Division of the Attorney General’s Department.The Co-ordinating Committee’s terms of reference are:
- To examine and identify legal, policy and procedural barriers to the provision of adequate criminal justice system services to persons seeking protection from domestic violence and personal violence;
- To make recommendations for consistent and improved legislation, policies, procedures and criminal justice systems services and to be responsible for implementing and monitoring those recommendations, where appropriate;
- To include in all recommendations administrative responsibilities, cost, time frames for implementation and performance indicators; and
- To pay particular attention to the needs of persons seeking protection from domestic violence, in particular women and children, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children, women and children from a non-English speaking background, elderly women, women and children with disabilities, lesbians and young women.
The Committee comprises representatives from:
- Domestic Violence Advocacy Service;
- NSW Domestic Violence Network;
- Legal Aid Commission;
- Judicial Commission;
- Ministry for Police;
- NSW Police Service; and
- Attorney General’s Department, specifically the Violence Against Women Specialist Unit, Legislation and Policy Division, Criminal Law Review Division, and Local Courts.
If you have issues about Apprehended Violence Orders which you would like to refer to the committee, please contact Tracey Hales in the VAW Specialist Unit Ph: (02) 9228 8437 or Louise Blazejowska in the Legislation and Policy Division of the Attorney General’s Department Ph: (02) 9228 7184.
Changes to Local Domestic Violence Committee funding
The VAW Specialist Unit will be administering funding for Local Domestic Violence Committees, for the 1997/98 financial year. Local Domestic Violence Committees will receive funding guidelines and applications forms soon. If you are involved in a Local Domestic Violence Committee that has not received funding guidelines and application forms by the end of September, please contact Tracey Hales at the VAW Specialist Unit, Ph: (02) 9228 8437.
Upcoming events
- Reclaim the Night, 31 October, 1997
- Rallies are planned in Sydney. For information about Reclaim the Night events contact the Reclaim the Night Collective Ph: (02) 9699 8602.
- National Sexual Assault Conference is being held in Sydney on 2,3 and 4 April 1998. More information about the conference will appear in this bulletin as details come to hand.
The Violence Against Women Specialist Unit is based in the Crime Prevention Division of the Attorney General’s Department. It is one of the central initiatives in the NSW Strategy To Reduce Violence Against 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.
ISSN 1328-437
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