ISSUE 10 : JANUARY 2013
The Violence Against Women with Disabilities Newsletter is a quarterly publication highlighting projects, resources and research responding to violence against women with disabilities. Past editions are available at www.wdv.org.au/newsletters.htm#ViolenceNews.
For more information or to contribute, please contact Jen Hargrave, Policy Officer – Violence Against Women with Disabilities, at jen.hargrave@wdv.org.au.
View the Quarterly in your browser here
In this Issue:
Introduction: a new format for the Quarterly
Welcome to 2013, and the new look Violence and Disability Quarterly. We hope that this look brings you more user-friendly formatting. If you are using MS Outlook and finding the formatting is not ideal, we recommend viewing the Quarterly through your web browser here. We invite feedback and contributions to the Quarterly via email to jen.hargrave@wdv.org.au
Preventing violence against women with disabilities: Developing gender sensitive practice amongst disability workers
Women with Disabilities Victoria has received funding, from the Victorian Department of Human Services, for the development of a 'gender and disability' professional education program.
The objective of the program is to develop and deliver a training package aimed at improving the quality of gender sensitive practice amongst disability workers. The program will aim to achieve this by improving their knowledge and skills in regard to:
· Concepts of gender, gender equality, gender relations and sex
· The socio-economic disadvantage of women with disabilities and its impact on social inclusion and quality of life
· Human rights obligations pertaining to gender and disability
· The relationship between marginalisation, disability, gender stereotypes and violence
· Gender sensitive practice in delivering disability services
· Good practice in health promotion and primary prevention of violence against women.
Jackie Moden and Di Kilsby are the consultants undertaking this work from November 2012 – July 2013.
The disability workforce as the focus
Disability services are a strategic site of intervention for this education. They deliver services to a significant number of women and girls with disabilities many of whom spend a substantial part of their lived experience within these services.
As frontline service providers, disability workers are in a key position to support women with disabilities to uphold their right to achieve their goals. A module for organizational leaders will be included to encourage gendered policy and protocols and leadership across the organization.
Ultimately, it is planned to extend the training to other sectors including local government and health services.
The next stage
Stage 2 of the project is to develop a train the trainer package and train women with disabilities to co-facilitate the program.
Pending further funding it is proposed that Stage Two will include a pilot of the learning package in one metropolitan and one rural area. During the pilot the project will be evaluated to identify the program's strengths and gaps, refine the content, resources, materials and assessment tool to improve the final product.
Discussions have been held with Yooralla regarding being involved in the pilot training. Discussions are also being held regarding a pilot site in the Barwon Region where an NDIS Trial will also be located.
Voices against Violence research progress report
The Voices against Violence is a research project being undertaken by Women with Disabilities Victoria in collaboration with Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) and the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (DVRCV). The researchers are investigating the experiences of women with disabilities of any kind (including physical disabilities, sensory disabilities, mental illnesses and cognitive impairments) who have experienced violence. The project is funded by a research grant from the Legal Services Board.
As part of the project, OPA have undertaken an audit of their records. 100 files were studied and a significant number of files revealed cases of family violence experienced by women with disabilities. Magdalena McGuire is conducting the research at the OPA, and is interviewing OPA staff and volunteers from the Community Visitors and Independent Third Person programs about their experiences working with women in family violence situations.
Researchers from DVRCV are conducting the second part of the study, which involves interviewing 20 women with disabilities who have experienced family violence. 5 women have been interviewed to date and 2 information sessions have been held, one in Melbourne and one in Shepparton. There has been a positive response to the research and invitation to be interviewed, with responses and interest from across Victoria.
DVRCV researchers, Delanie Woodlock and Philippa Bailey, invite those interested to participate in the project to be in contact. Those who identify as women with disabilities who have experienced family violence are welcomed to participate in an interview.
Contact Phone: 03 9486 9866
Web: www.dvrcv.org.au
Email: library@dvrcv.org.au and pbailey@dvrcv.org.au
Improving access to crisis services: Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service develops a Disability Action Plan
Adrienne Agg
The Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service (WDVCS) has become the first statewide family violence service provider in Victoria to develop a Disability Action Plan (DAP).
The WDVCS DAP aims to create a supportive environment where the whole organisation from the Board, CEO, leadership team and Crisis Support Advocates engage in a process of continuous improvement, working towards the elimination of any barriers to service access experienced by women and children with a disability.
There were important factors driving the creation of the DAP. A disproportionately high number of women with a disability are subject to family violence, sexual assault and institutional violence, according to figures from Women with Disabilities Victoria.
Furthermore, in 2009 / 2010 17.5 per cent of the women seeking services from the WDVCS were women identifying as having a disability. Women with disabilities often experience higher rates of violence, at the hands of a greater number of perpetrators and are less likely to report the abuse they experience. The WDVCS is particularly concerned about the unknown numbers of women with disabilities who do not enter the system in part because of the barriers to access.
The WDVCS DAP features four outcomes:
1. Reducing barriers to women with a disability accessing WDVCS managed goods, services and facilities;
2. Reducing barriers to women with a disability obtaining and maintaining employment with WDVCS;
3. Promoting inclusion and participation in the community of women with a disability; and
4. Achieving organisational culture change in attitudes and practices which discriminate against disability.
The performance measures include:
· Sign language interpreters to be available on request for clients;
· Scope the feasibility of providing service via SMS / text message;
· The WDVCS Media Project to raise awareness and inform debate on the impact of family violence on women with a disability; and
· New WDVCS employees to participate in training on the intersection of family violence and disability.
The Disability Draft Plan 2013 – 2016 was approved in principle by the WDVCS board in November 2012. Once the Disability Action Plan has been lodged with the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and when approved, it will be available online at the WDVCS website.
Women with Disabilities Victoria will bring you update's of WDVCS's progress with the plan through this publication.
Adrienne Agg
Communications & Media Advocacy Coordinator
Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service
Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service
/www.wdvcs.org.au/
Responding to allegations of sexual assault in Supported Residential Services - a new protocol
Residents living in Supported Residential Services (SRS) may be victims of alleged sexual assault. In such instances, it is important that key individuals and organisations have a clear understanding of their respective roles.
To this end, a protocol has been developed between SRS proprietors, officers of the Department of Health and Centres Against Sexual Assault.
The protocol, Responding to allegations of sexual assault in SRS functions to::
1. Provide information to CASA about Supported Residential Services (SRS) and the obligations of SRS proprietors for handling allegations of sexual assault
2. Outline the role of Department of Health (the department) and CASA in responding to contact from SRS proprietors, staff or other parties regarding allegations of sexual assault involving people who live in SRS.
View the protocol here.
Inter-agency Guideline for responding to the Abuse and Neglect of At-risk adults (IGUANA)
Women with Disabilities Victoria were delighted to participate in a forum designed to prevent and respond to violence against people with disabilities in disability services. The Office of the Public Advocate hosted 41 participants from a range of key government agencies and community service organisations on the 5th October 2012. Participants gathered to discuss the desirability of developing an inter-agency guideline for responding to the abuse and neglect of at-risk adults (IGUANA). There was a commitment to develop the guideline and continue work in 2013. The presentation and notes from the forum can be viewed via the Office of the Public Advocate's research page.
UN Women keep disability in the gender frame: Lakshmi Puri speaks on 'Forgotten Sisters'
Extracts of opening Remarks by Lakshmi Puri, Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women at the Panel Discussion on Preventing and Ending Violence against Women with Disabilities. New York, 23 October 2012, posted by UN Women. UN Women are the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
"We need to mainstream a disability perspective into the work on gender equality and women's empowerment. Starting from the work of the UN Women, special attention will be given to the needs and concerns of women and girls with disabilities.
UN Women will focus on advancing the rights of women and girls with disabilities in all aspects of society and development. Their perspectives should also be included in all aspects of work to implement the CEDAW.
In the area of addressing violence against women and girls with disabilities, UN Women has already taken a number of steps:
We provided inputs to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for the development of a Thematic Analytical Study on the issue of Violence against Women and Girls and Disability.
We are giving special consideration in The United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, which is administered by UN Women on behalf of the UN system, to programmes reaching especially marginalized populations including the internally displaced, refugees, victims of trafficking, and women with disabilities.
For example in Namibia, the UN Trust Fund grantee International Planned Parenthood Federation is working on promoting sexual and reproductive rights and providing related services as mechanisms to respond to violence against women. The programme includes preventive measures such as awareness raising and training targeting women and girls living with disabilities. As a result of these trainings, women living with disabilities' access to services have increased.
In Albania, we are supporting organizations of women with disabilities to ensure that the concerns and recommendations are reflected in the National Strategy on Gender Equality, Reduction of Gender Based Violence and Domestic Violence (2011-2015). This resulted in the inclusion of provisions for women and girls with disabilities in the final draft of the Strategy and its Action Plan.
In addition, our Global Virtual Knowledge Centre to End Violence against Women and Girls contains information on some of the particular challenges faced by women with disabilities, and provides some guidance on how services can be more inclusive.
Our work on the elimination of violence against women and girls, including women and girls with disabilities, focuses both on prevention and protection as well as response. Beyond the importance of using these two approaches in parallel, States must go beyond ad hoc efforts and start looking at addressing violence in a holistic, comprehensive and coordinated way. This means addressing the root causes of violence, including poverty and some social norms, behaviors and attitudes that tend to perpetuate violence. Protection and support services should not only respond to violence but also aim at helping to prevent violence.
My second point is that mainstreaming disability into gender-related work is not enough. It is also necessary to mainstream a gender perspective into disability work. I have listened to the General Assembly on social development, including questions relating to the world social situation and to youth, aging, disabled persons and the family. Throughout the debates, representatives from a total of 80 member states or regional groups were almost unanimously in support of the mainstreaming of disability into sustainable development agenda. However, in speaking of disability issues, no member state mentioned gender or took note of difficulties facing women and girls with disabilities.
All work on disability should incorporate a gender perspective and special attention should be given to include women and girls with disabilities into the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability and its monitoring and evaluation.
My third point is the urgent need to improve statistics and indicators on disability, segregated by gender and age. Data collection on violence against women and girls, including women and girls with disabilities, and monitoring and evaluation of the impact of laws, policies and programs are essential to understanding what works and where investment should be concentrated.
Violence against women and girls with disabilities cannot be addressed in isolation. Mainstream women's organizations and organizations of persons with disabilities, including organizations of women with disabilities, must work more closely together. Today's panel is an example of how we can come together to more effectively address the violence against women and girls and the rights of women and girls with disabilities."
View the full speech on the UN Women website here.
Australia responds to CEDAW (Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
FaHCSIA Australia appeared before the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW Committee) on 20 July 2010 at the UN Headquarters in New York. The Committee subsequently released its recommendations to the Australian Government identifying the two most pressing issues facing Australia in the field of gender equality as violence against women and the disadvantages faced by Indigenous women. The CEDAW Committee requested that a follow-up report, outlining government efforts to implement their recommendations be submitted.
The Commonwealth Office for Women coordinated the development of the follow-up report and Australia submitted this report to the CEDAW Committee in November 2012. This report is a whole of government report, containing input from Commonwealth, state and territory portfolios responsible for Australia's policies on violence against women and Indigenous women's human rights.
Australia's follow-up report is now available on the website of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/followup.htm. A copy has been attached for your information. The website also includes copies of NGO reports also submitted to the CEDAW Committee.
Office for Women
FaHCSIA
womensbranchinternational@fahcsia.gov.au
Preventing violence against women: Vic Health training
In February Vic Health is running a two-day short course called, Preventing Violence against women: Addressing the social and economic determinants of health. The course will provide practical knowledge and build skills among participants in how to stop violence against women before it starts.
FocusThis course will equip participants to build environments within organisations and across communities that foster and maintain safe, equal and respectful gender relations.
The short course also provides the opportunity to strengthen and develop partnerships between organisations and across sectors to support the planning and implementation of activity to prevent violence against women.
Who should attend?The short course has been designed for people coming from diverse occupational areas, sectors and settings, including: community, health, social policy, education and local government.
Course detailsDate: Thursday 14 and Friday 15 February 2013
Time: 9.30am to 4.30pm (Registration starts at 9.15am on Day 1)
Venue: Seminar Rooms 1 & 2, Ground Floor, 15-31 Pelham Street, Carlton
Cost:: $500
Application process: Please complete the online application form via the VicHealth website no later than Monday 4 February 2013
W: www.vichealth.vic.gov.au
Further information: Caitlin Dunlop, cdunlop@vichealth.vic.gov.au
Please note that spaces are limited. This course is expected to fill so please apply early. You will need to be available for the FULL TWO DAY course.
What will I learn?The course will introduce participants to: - The nature and impact of violence against women on individuals and communities
- The underlying causes and factors that contribute to high rates of violence against women
- The case for prevention and for developing strategies that can stop violence against women before it occurs
- A framework for understanding how to address violence against women and to create environments that are safe, inclusive and supportive of women
- Promising practice examples, tools and resources in 'doing prevention' across sectors and settings
- Approaches to project planning and evaluating what works in preventing violence against women
Responding to family violence experienced by women with a disability: Getting Safe Against the Odds training by DVRCV
This training is for workers who are currently working in the family violence sector to gain a better understanding of the context and experiences of women with disabilities who experience violence; explore best practice responses in relation to risk assessment and safety planning, and share strategies that will prepare your agency to better respond to the needs of women with disabilities.
DateWednesday 27 February
RegisterForm to Register for Getting Safe Against the Odds Training is on the DVRCV Website.
Phone: 9486 9866
Email: dvrcv@dvrcv.org.au
Web: www.dvrcv.org.au
Women with Disabilities Victoria Annual Report 2011 - 2012
We are pleased to share our recently released Women with Disabilities Victoria Annual Report 2011-12. It is available on our website in PDF and Word formats, along with our Full Financial Report for the period.
Our Annual Report outlines the work undertaken by the organisation during the twelve month period between 1 July 2011 - 30 June 2012.
Highlights for the year covered in the report include: - Creating an accessible workplace
- Social Media: YouTube channel and Exploring the Digital Divide
- Roundtable of women with disabilities meet with the UN's Special Rapporteur on Violence against women
- Workforce development on Gender and Disability
If you would like a hard copy of the report please contact Sarah at sarah.boyd@wdv.org.au or on (03) 9286 7800.
Thank you for your support in 2012. We look forward to another year of working together to achieve our vision of 'a world where all women are respected and can fully experience life'. |
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