Ending violence against women – it’s everybody’s business

The 16days in WA campaign runs from 25th November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) through to December 10th (Human Rights Day) each year. The campaign takes its inspiration from the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. During these 16 days in November and December, the community is invited to take part in encouraging change to stop violence against women.

 

What is Family & Domestic Violence?

Stopping Family Violence uses the term violence or family and domestic violence to describe patterns of behaviour intended to coerce, control and create fear within intimate (current and former partners) or family relationships. Violence refers to a range of abusive and controlling behaviours, including but not limited to,  physical violence, sexual violence, emotional abuse, spiritual abuse, cultural abuse, systems abuse, undermining or disrupting parenting, using or harming children to coerce or control their mother, financial abuse and social isolation.

 

Why is it Gendered?

Our Watch research shows that women are nearly three times more likely than men to experience violence from an intimate partner. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience disproportionate rates of violence, and the violence is often more severe. Some groups of the community are more likely to experience violence due to factors such as systemic and structural forms of social injustice, discrimination, and oppression.

Research shows that approximately 95% of all victims of violence – whether women or men – experience violence from a male perpetrator. Gendered language in family and domestic violence isn’t used with the intention to exclude other groups of people as we know violence exists in other relationships. Gendered language is used in our work to represent the statistics that show us that family and domestic violence is predominantly used by a male perpetrator against a female victim. Our language is not intended to exclude or diminish the experiences of people who do not identify as male or female or have heterosexual relationships. 

 

Drivers of Gendered Violence

Research by Our Watch shows that violence against women has distinct gender drivers that consistently predict or drive the gendered pattern of violence. These are:

·      condoning violence against women

·      men’s control of decision-making and limits to women’s independence

·      rigid gender roles and stereotypes

·      male relationships that emphasise aggression and disrespect towards women

Structural inequalities affirm attitudes and behaviours that enable violence against women. Violence against women is preventable by changing structures, attitudes and behaviours.

The evidence shows that the substantial majority of users of FDV are cisgender heterosexual men and that a significant majority of victim-survivors are cisgender heterosexual women. Our use of gendered and heterosexual language reflects this understanding. However, we acknowledge that sex and gender are socially constructed categories. Binary language assumes only two categories of sex and gender (men/women or male/female) which does not reflect the gender diversity of people. Our language is not intended to exclude or diminish the experiences of people who do not identify as male or female or have heterosexual relationships. 

 

Why Work on Perpetrator Responses?  

When we improve responses to perpetrators, we improve safety for adult and child victim-survivors. Focusing on the perpetrator means shifting away from a victim-blaming narrative and constantly pivoting to the perpetrators’ behaviours as the cause of the harm.

Focusing on the perpetrator’s patterns of behaviour identifies the impact of his unsafe, violent, and controlling behaviours on his current or former partner and their children. A parent who engages in a pattern of behaviour to control, disrupt & destabilise daily living always impacts the family’s health, stability, safety and well-being of adult and child victim-survivors.

Stopping Family Violence works to promote practices that move the blame from the victim-survivor to the person perpetrating the violence. When we learn to work with adult and child victim-survivors whilst holding perpetrators’ behaviours as the focus, we learn to work with the needs of the family in a child-centred way, and we work to partner with the adult and child-victim survivors to increase their safety.

 

Why Doesn’t She Leave? 

“Why doesn’t she leave?” is a common question that comes up when we talk about gender-based violence. Leaving or planning to leave an abusive partner can involve a series of incredibly difficult and complex decisions. Distressingly, statistics show that, on average, almost one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner, with a number of these homicides occurring post-separation.

Leaving a violent partner can take many attempts, and many do not leave as staying may be the safest option for her and the children. Leaving is not only dangerous, but it can mean a loss of identity, status, family and community support networks, financial security, loss of the child’s school, friends and networks, and the only place they may have to live. We should never judge a victim-survivor for her decision to stay. Instead, we should assume that she is already doing many things to promote safety and well-being for her and her family. We should learn about those strengths in the context of the perpetrator’s pattern of behaviour, and ask how we can partner (or be an ally) with her to help further build on safety planning and to support her and her children. Instead of asking “why doesn’t she leave?”, we need to asking “why doesn’t he stop?”

 

Who is Family and Domestic Violence Training For?

Stopping Family Violence provides training that helps a wide range of practitioners and front-line workers in intersecting roles to work in a safe way with families, even if they have little to no contact with perpetrators. Stopping Family Violence also provides practitioners that work directly with perpetrators with the specialist skills needed for this work.

There are many intersections of family and domestic, including (but not limited to) substance use, mental health, and homelessness. We need to support people in those services to understand family and domestic violence and the impact of the perpetrators’ behaviours on the adult and child victim-survivor. 

Responding to perpetrators effectively and improving safety for women and children requires integrated approaches where everyone works together systematically and cooperatively, from primary prevention through to crisis care, from specialist services to universal services, to members of the public.

 

How Can We End Violence Against Women and Children?

Violence perpetrated by men against women and children is a widespread problem, but there are so many ways we can work together to solve it. We can all work together in a range of settings, such as the workplace, in our clubs, with our friends, and in all organisations, to promote and foster safe, equal, and respectful relationships.

We need everyone to help prevent and reduce the rates of violence perpetrated by men against women and children. This includes boys and men taking a leading role in discouraging violent behaviour and challenging discrimination and gender stereotyping.

 

Event /Organiser

Time and Date

Location

Website

Landmarks Alight

Various Organisations

25th Nov – 10th Dec

Please see map below (Here)

Landmarks Alight

Change starts with community

Communicare

10.00am-12.00pm Thursday 24 November

Armadale

Communicare

UNiTE Campaign

United Nations

11pm Perth time Wednesday 24 November

Online event UN women youtube channel

UNiTE

Red Shoes exhibit

Boola BardipWA Museum

10.00am-5.00pm Sunday  27 November – Thursday 1 December

Perth Museum Boola Bardip

Red Shoes

Forensic Science against Gender-based violence

Boola BardipWA Museum

10.00am-12.00pm Monday 28 November

Woodside Learning Studio

Perth Museum Boola Bardip

Forensic Science against Gender-based violence

Event and High Tea

Waroona Communities

9am-12pm Monday 28 November 2022

Waroona Memorial Hall, 86 South West Hwy

Waroona

32nd Annual Silent Domestic Violence Memorial March

Centre Women’s Safety and Wellbeing

10.00 – 1.00pm Tuesday 29 November

Forrest Chase, Perth

Silent March

Silent march and community event

Rockingham Kwinana Safe Family Alliance

10.00am-1.00pm 30 November

Darius Wells Centre

2 Robbos Way, Kwinana

Silent March Rockingham

16 Days of Activism Corporate Breakfast

Starick

7am(est) Wednesday 7 December

TBA

Starick Breakfast

 

Midland March that Matters

Relationships Australia

11.30am – 1.30pm 8 December 2022

Juniper Gardens, Midland

Midland March

Consultation for legislative review

DMIRS

Anytime

Closes 16 December 2022

online

Consultation

Take a Stand campaign

Jesuit Refugee Service

21 November onwards

online

Jesuit Refugee

Campaign

Global 16 Days Campaign

Anytime

Online

GLOBAL Campaign

Arrol Crane
Guppy Park
Koombana Bay Footbridge
Koombana Bay Foreshore
Marlston Hill Lookout
Marlston Waterfront
Navigators at the Koombana Drive Roundabout
Fraser Avenue, Kings Park
Yagan Square Digital Tower
Alison Hartman Gardens
Albany Town Square
Mandurah Estuary Bridge
William Grundt Memorial Library
Eastern Goldfields Community Centre
Kununurra Magistrates Court
Fremantle Prison
Edith Cowan University Building 1
Fremantle Ports
Matagarup Bridge
Northbridge Tunnel
Sky Ribbon Gateway Bridge
Mount Street Bridge
Celebrity Tree Park
Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Parliamentary Fountains
WA Shipwrecks Museum
Museum of the Great Southern
Western Australia Police Force Headquarters
Mangrove Cove Tower
Richmond Reserve
Broome Water Tower
Derby Water Tower
Joondalup Drive Bridge
Perth Cultural Centre
The Bell Tower
Perth Concert Hall
Elizabeth Quay
His Majesty’s Theatre
Brookfield Place
South Hedland Water Tower
RAC Arena
Optus Stadium
King Edward Memorial Hospital
QV1 Building

Useful Resources

If you are in crisis and need support, please call the most suitable support service below.

Stopping Family Violence is not a direct service provider.

FOR IMMEDIATE / EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

Emergency 24/7: 000

Lifeline: 13 11 14

1800 Respect: 1800 737 732

Women’s DV Line: 9223 1188 or 1800 007 339 (country)

Men’s DV Line: 9223 1199 or 1800 000 599

Crisis Care 24/7: 9223 1111

Kids Helpline 24/7: 1800 551 800

Sexual Assault Resource Centre Emergency Line: 1800 199 888

Mental Health Emergency Response Line: 1300 555 788

Child and Adolescent Health Service Emergency Telehealth: 1300 555 788

FOR GENERAL SUPPPORT

Anglicare WA: 1300 114 446

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36

Centrecare: 9325 6644

Communicare: 9251 5777

DVassist: 1800 080 083

Entry Point: 1800 124 689

eheadspace: 1800 650 890

Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Services: 9345 5335

Relationships Australia WA: 1300 364 277

Women’s Health & Family Services: 6330 5400

Yorgum: 1800 469 371

Open Line: 1300 766 491