WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AND VIOLENCE IN AUSTRALIA

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AND VIOLENCE IN AUSTRALIA

For more than 20 years, women with disabilities in Australia have spoken out about being denied the right to live their lives free from violence and abuse. Through Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA), its affiliates, allies and partners, women with disabilities have shared their personal stories, experiences and views on the violence perpetrated against them and the systemic failures in legislation, policy, programs, services and support to prevent and address the multiple forms of violence they experience.  Women with disabilities have made it clear that it is time for action and that it is only through systemic change that their fundamental human right to freedom from violence will be realised. 

STOP THE VIOLENCE PROJECT

The Stop the Violence Project (STVP) is in direct response to this call for real and sustainable systemic change. The STVP is a national policy reform project aimed at improving services for women and girls with disabilities experiencing or at risk of violence. A long-term objective for the project is to improve the quality of life of women and girls with disabilities in Australia, and to promote and protect their rights to freedom from violence, exploitation and abuse. 
The project has been funded by the Safety Taskforce of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) under its First Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence  against Women and their Children.

ABOUT THIS SURVEY

This survey represents your organisation’s opportunity to contribute to building knowledge about Australia’s capacity to develop and undertake good policy and practice measures to address violence prevention and response for women and girls with disabilities.  It seeks information from organisations in the following key areas:

• the work you do
• the  policies and legislative frameworks that guide your work, and
• the challenges you face in responding to the needs of women and girls with disabilities experiencing or at risk of violence.

The information gathered will be used to build an evidence base for future reform of the service system to better respond to the needs of women and girls with disabilities.

YOUR CONTRIBUTION

You can participate in one of two ways:

1.  Online Survey - which is available via the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XHKDDVD
The survey will take up to 30 minutes to complete.

2. Standardised Submission – this is a stand-alone version of the survey. This option enables multiple users to work on, save, and forward the questionnaire to others within an organisation. Once complete the submission can be submitted directly via email. Submission templates and instructions for submission are available on the STVP website at http://www.stvp.org.au/survey.htm
FURTHER INFORMATION

Further information about the Stop the Violence Project is available from the project website: http://www.stvp.org.au/

YOUR ASSISTANCE

In addition to completing the survey you can also assist by sharing information about the project with others. You can do this by

• forwarding this email to organisations within your sector/networks and/or by
• advertising the weblink to the questionnaire on your organisations’ website or newsletter. For this purpose, we suggest the following text:
A national research project is looking at ways to improve service delivery for women and girls with disabilities who experience or are at risk of violence. The Stop the Violence Project headed by Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is undertaking research to build the evidence base to support future reform of the service system to better respond to the needs of women and girls with disabilities. The project is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) as part of the multi-layered approach to assisting women and girls with disabilities under the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children.

The research seeks information from mainstream and specialist prevention and response policy making, representative and service provider organisations across domestic violence/sexual assault, disability services and other relevant service sectors including the criminal justice and victims support sectors in all states and territories, particularly in regards to their views and experience of policy and practice relevant to violence prevention and response for women and girls with disabilities. For more information or to participate in the project, please visit http://www.stvp.org.au/survey.htm