whw news

PREVENTION

of VIOLENCE

against

women

Edition 3 2014

edition

PhotO: Scout Kozakiewicz

Partner agencies
come together to
prevent violence
against women.
Page 10

A word from the ceo

elcome to the third

edition of WHW
News for 2014, which
focuses on our priority
area of violence against
women. This priority goes to the very core
of WHWs vision for equity and justice for
women in the west, with all of our staff
engaged in activities designed to prevent,
intervene early and/or respond to violence
against women and children. This includes
significant regional partnerships that strengthen
our capacity to work towards that vision.
As a result of our unique funding base, WHW
staff are privileged to be able to learn from
each other and from the shared experiences
of clients and communities that engage with
our service. This experience not only assists
us to continue to develop more responsive
projects and programs, but also to influence
public policy and impact on legislation to
improve women and childrens health, safety
and wellbeing. WHW used our joint experience
to prepare a comprehensive submission into
the senate inquiry into domestic violence, and
was pleased to be invited to present evidence
to the committee in partnership with the
Womens Health Association of Victoria. Health
Promotion Manager, Annarella Hardiman,
provides more information on page 3.
WHW look at family violence not only from the
perspectives of prevention, early intervention
and response, but we also look at the impact
of violence on different groups of women and
children. Our particular focus is the way in
which additional vulnerabilities can intensify
experiences of violence and influence an
individuals ability to access services, their

inside:

Dr Robyn Gregory

experience of those services once accessed

and the need for additional targeted actions.
On page 6, for instance, a summary of
a research project on the nature and
impacts of violence against women with
a disability is further illustrated by a case
study outlining the experiences of one of
WHWs clients, confirming the increased risk
of violence for women with a disability.
Similarly, on page 7, we outline the significant
impact that family violence has on children
as primary and secondary victims of family
violence. Over the past four years WHW has
experienced a 256 per cent increase in police
referrals for family violence with a 54 per cent
increase in the last year alone. Of those women
referred to our service, around 65 per cent were
accompanied by children, making it imperative
that we focus not only on the whole family,
but also on the specific needs of children.
Our childrens counsellors, ably accompanied
by Ruby Roo, do just that through individual
counselling, group work and art and play
therapy. You can read more about this
work on pages 89 in the Ruby Files.
The extraordinary and ongoing increases in
police referrals demand that we not only
deliver responsive programs and services, but
also build the capacity of other agencies and
communities to recognise, respond to and
prevent violence against women and children.
On pages 10-11, Health Promotion
Coordinator, Sally Camilleri, outlines the causes
of violence against women and introduces 16
Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, a
campaign dating back to 1991 that inspired
our regional partnership, Preventing Violence

Continued p.2

womens health west equity and justice for women in the west

16 ways to stop violence

against women p.10
Sally Camilleri introduces us to the
local partners leading the charge to
prevent violence against women

Women are responsible

for their own safety p.4
A provocative statement for a
provocative debate read how
Clementine Ford, Rodney Vlais, Dr
Kristin Diemer and Senior Sergeant
Susan Nolan tackled the topic

A decade
of young
leaders
p.14
The tenth
annual Lead On
Again program is
happening in January 2015, read
about the young refugee and
migrant women whove participated
over the years

1
2
3

A Word From the CEO

Credits
Influencing equity and
justice for women in the
west: WHW presents at the
Parliamentary Inquiry into
Domestic Violence in Australia

4
4

Behind the Scenes: Staff

The nature and impacts of

violence against women
with a disability

The nature and impacts of

family violence on children

Catch up on the annual

general meeting

8
10

The Ruby Files

12

How 34 women created

change using human
rights, and so can you

14

Ten years of helping young

women take charge of
their lives and our future

15

Keeping Equity at the

Centre: 22nd National
Australian Health Promotion
Association Conference

16 Partners, 16 Actions, 16
Days of Activism to End
Violence Against Women

16
17

Funds for WHW

18

Top five print publications

for 2013-14

19
20

Notices

Review: The Talk

A Sexual Health and Ethics
DVD by Nelly Thomas

Womens Health West

in the media

ISSN # 1834-7096
Editor: Nicola Harte, Communications Manager
Contributors to this edition: Amanda
Wimetal, Annarella Hardiman, Aoibheann,
Chiedza Malunga, Debra Wannan, Sophie
Campbell, Karin Holzknecht, Kate Hauser,
Kirsten Campbell, Nadine, Nicola Harte, Robyn
Gregory, Sally Camilleri, Shifrah Blustein,
Stephanie
Photographers: Karin Holzknecht, Kate Hauser,
Scout Kozakiewicz, Sally Camilleri, Shifrah
Blustein, Stephanie
Illustrations: Isis and Pluto
Design and layout: Susan Miller,
millervision@netspace.net.au
Read this edition and archives of whwnews
online at www.whwest.org.au/news/
newsletter/
Edition 3 published: December 2014
Deadline for 2015 Edition 1: April 2015

whwnews edition 3 2014

Continued from p.1

Together United, to add our voices
to the call for gender equity to
eliminate violence against women.
Supporting and promoting womens
leadership is the focus of our tenth
annual leadership program for young
refugee and migrant women, which
will go ahead in January 2015. Health
Promotion Worker, Kirsten Campbell,
provides details of the program as
well as some of the experiences of
previous participants, on page 14.
Keeping equity at the centre of our work
is key to a range of actions, including
prevention of violence against women,
and was also the theme of this years
health promotion conference. On
page 15, Health Promotion Worker,
Kate Hauser summarises the posters,
workshops and presentations by WHW
staff, as well as the impact other
presentations had on our thinking
into meaningful community control
of projects in the western region.
And on pages 12-13, Health Promotion
Worker, Shifrah Blustein, introduces
three short films and a series of fact
sheets that share the lessons learned
by refugee and migrant women
who developed their own actions to
respond to and prevent human rights
violations experienced by their own
communities in a series of WHW-

Resources from this project will be

launched at a workshop in February
2015, and at our International
Womens Day event on 4 March
2015, so put this date into your diary
and keep an eye on our website!
Another popular WHW event is the great
debate at our annual general meetings,
and this year was no exception.
Of course, our AGM wouldnt be the
same without our wonderful MC, Nelly
Thomas, who when she isnt busy
being smart and funny in person, is
being smart and funny on DVD! Health
Promotion Worker, Amanda Wimetal,
reviews Nellys recent DVD, The Talk, on
sexual health and ethics, on page 17.
We express our sincere thanks for the
donations received from individuals
and organisations listed on page
16 these are crucial in supporting
our work at Womens Health West.
Finally, this is the last newsletter for
2014, on behalf of all of our hard
working staff I wish you a very safe,
happy and healthy new year.

About Womens Health West

Womens Health
West (WHW) is
the womens health
service for the western
metropolitan region of Melbourne. We
work to achieve equity and justice for
women in the west.
We have two main programs that
complement each other allowing us
to work across the continuum from
preventing problems, to responding to
problems after they occur.
Our health promotion program plans
and implements activities designed to
promote womens health, safety and
wellbeing across three key areas
sexual and reproductive health, mental
health, and prevention of violence and
discrimination.
Our family violence service provides
women and children who experience
family violence with the range of
services they require while in crisis
such as court support, crisis housing
and case management, through to

Influencing equity and justice

for women in the west

supported projects. These projects do

not underestimate the complexity of
actions and understanding required
to bring about significant systemic
and structural change, such as that
required to prevent gendered violence.

services designed to promote healing

and recovery, such as womens and
childrens counselling.
All women living, working or studying
in the western metropolitan region of
Melbourne are eligible for membership
of WHW, as are organisations whose
client base includes the western region.

Connect with
Womens Health West
Facebook
www.facebook.com/whwest
Twitter
www.twitter.com/
LinkedIn
Womens Health West is now
on LinkedIn, the worlds largest
professional network. If youre on
LinkedIn too, please connect with us to
receive our updates. To find us, log in
and search for Womens Health West.

WHW presents at the Parliamentary Inquiry into Domestic Violence in Australia

L-R Patty Kinnersly, Sally Camilleri, Tess La Fontaine, Annarella Hardiman

Annarella Hardiman, Health Promotion Manager

In July 2014 Womens Health West submitted a response to the Senate

Finance and Public Administration Committee regarding the Australian
Parliamentary Inquiry into Domestic Violence. The inquiry is examining
the prevalence, causes and effects of domestic violence in Australia,
including ways the government should support, contribute to and drive
the social, cultural and behavioural shifts required to eliminate violence
against women and their children.

f almost 40 Victorian submissions,

the committee selected six
respondents to interview:

Foundation to Prevent Violence

Against Women and their
Children (Our Watch)

Victorian Health Promotion

Foundation (VicHealth)

Ms Rosemary Batty
Domestic Violence Victoria
Victoria Police
Womens Health West
Womens Health
Association of Victoria

Our submission details 19

recommendations, which we consider
crucial to the primary prevention
of violence against women and to
support and resource the ongoing
need for tertiary and secondary
responses to violence against women.
Womens Health West was
subsequently invited to give evidence
at the Melbourne inquiry in September
2014, and was represented by:

Tess La Fontaine Acting

Family Violence Manager

submission and considered the work

achieved in Victoria to be noteworthy.
They then explored what additional
advice and recommendations we could
offer including questions such as:

What affects our ability to

advocate for systemic change as
part of the tool kit for eliminating
violence against women

What more the Commonwealth could

do in regard to primary prevention
of violence against women

Our team reported on both the rationale

for, and evidence supporting our primary
prevention work, as well as informing
the committee about the needs and
experiences of tertiary providers.

The importance of respectful

relationships education in schools
and our recommendations
about its broader inclusion in
the national curriculum

We were joined by Patty Kinnersly,

CEO of Womens Health Grampians
and Convenor of the Womens Health
Association of Victoria, to strengthen
the evidence by explaining how the
womens health sector works together
across Victoria to prevent violence
against women at structural and
societal levels. Patty also highlighted
the potential of the Australian
Womens Health Network, the national
body, to support the contribution of
womens health services in this area.

The potential for further work to be

done on creating national coordinated
efforts by womens health services

The impact of the work on frontline

family violence staff and what could
be done to acknowledge and support
workers and their organisations

Sally Camilleri - Health

Promotion Coordinator

Annarella Hardiman - Health

Promotion Manager

The Senate committee sitting in

Melbourne comprised Senators
Janet Rice (Chair), Larissa Waters,
Kate Lundy and Cory Bernadi.
The committee demonstrated by their
questions that they already had a strong
understanding and appreciation of the
content and emphasis of the WHW

After an hour the committee conveyed

their appreciation for our contribution
to their deliberations and asked us to
pass on their thanks to all our workers.
All evidence provided at the public
hearing is available at www.
aph.gov.au, under Senate
Committees, Finance and Public
Administration and Public Hearings.
The committee is scheduled to report
on their findings on 2 March 2015.

whwnews edition 3 2014

PHOTO: Kate Hauser,

contents

Behind the scenes

WHW Staff

WHW Annual General Meeting

Amanda Wimetal

TIme to reflect

Health Promotion
Worker

Following my
Graduate Diploma
in Community
Development, I worked
in East Timor as a
volunteer with Australian
Volunteers International
and later as a volunteer translator for
the United Nations; some of my most
satisfying personal and professional
experiences. I hope to contribute to
the excellent work of the team with
my international development and
cross-cultural experience. As a creative
person, Im up for any activity that
involves self-expression and have been
loving the Zumba classes here at WHW.
I speak three languages and am keen
to learn more, so I would love to learn
a few phrases in the mother tongues
of our linguistically diverse staff.

Nicola Harte, Communications Manager

he business part of the meeting was

ably run by Acting Chair Samantha
Merrigan, who was re-elected to
the board. We bid a fond farewell to Jan
Collyer after 25 years of annual audits, to
Treasurer Karen Passey after 6 dedicated
years on the board and to retiring board
directors Leigh Russell and Claire Culley.

Chiedza Malunga

PHOTOS: Karin Holzknecht

Meriem Idris, 15 years of service

Health Promotion Worker

My first Australian job was a community

worker role working with refugees and
migrants on sexual health. I have a social
work and public health background and
this has influenced my specialisation
in refugee and migrant sexual health
promotion. I have worked on a
number of projects in this area with a
particular focus on sexually transmitted
infections, HIV and viral hepatitis. My
experience also includes training roles
that involved working in different
sectors to improve multicultural health
service delivery and working with young
people from a refugee background. I
hope to continue learning and sharing
experiences of womens health.

whwnews edition 3 2014

Melanie Sleap, VITA award winner

Debate topic

CEO Dr Robyn Gregory thanked the staff

and our partners for their tireless energy
this year, especially considering the
impact of service demand on our ability
to meet client needs. She explained that
a 54 per cent increase in police referrals
in 201314 alone, has culminated in a
256 per cent increase over the past four
years, while our family violence funds
in that period increased by only 25 per
cent. She called for greater funding for
case management and much greater
investment in prevention of mens
violence against women as a component
of a long-term strategy to not only
reduce service demand but, more
importantly, create non-violent, genderequitable and respectful communities.
Each year the board celebrates notable
contributions of staff to the kind of
workplace culture WHW aspires to
achieve through the presentation of
Staff Innovation Awards. This year the
GOYA award recognised Debra Wannan
for her constructive provision of up-todate finance information while holding
the business unit together at a time of
change. The MAAT award went to Luise
who, for 12 years, has spoken up for
the rights of women, be they clients,
colleagues or communities, in a gentle,

Welcome smiles

Debaters L-R Kristin Diemer, Sue Nolan, Rodney

Vlais, Nelly Thomas, Clementine Ford

WHW workers

strong and thoughtful manner. And the

VITA award went to Melanie Sleap who
has been a diligent, hard worker in both
the family violence and health promotion
teams and whose sophisticated youth
engagement skills have been invaluable
in the You, Me and Us project, which
mentored 47 peer educators to codeliver respectful relationship education
sessions to over 3,500 young people.

own safety, and Senior Sergeant Sue

Nolan and Clementine Ford argued
the affirmative. MC Nelly Thomas
introduced proceedings by describing
the way mens violence against women is
treated in the media and the avalanche
of talkback feelpinion (I feel strongly
about this and I have an opinion) that
inevitably finds ways to excuse mens
behaviour and condemn women.

WHW clearly has an extremely talented,

dedicated and committed staff group
and we acknowledged staff who have
worked for WHW for ten years and
over. Hatice has been a family violence
outreach worker at Womens Health
West since 2004 and, knowing the
importance of strong partnerships, has
fostered connections with colleagues
ever since. Victoria also joined us that
year and we thank her for her deep
commitment to social justice and her
creative flair, for the anti-violence
song she composed and performed
with colleagues in Federation Square
and many other accomplishments.
And we acknowledged Meriem Idris
achievements over fifteen years with
Womens Health West, not only for her
ongoing commitment to the vision and
mission of the organisation, but also for
attaining her Bachelor of Business and
through continual study and dedication
becoming the Finance Coordinator.

I realise now that I want to detail every

point Nelly made in her introduction
and then every argument made by
our eminent speakers but I wont do
any of it justice, so watch for yourself
at whwest.org.au/agm2014

Jade Blakkarly, Good Shepherd and Jacky Tucker,

WHW

Until then, know that it was lively,

uproarious, serious, thoughtprovoking and in some spots,
mystifying; but look it up and see!
Womens Health West sincerely thanks
all the speakers, everyone who attended,
the lovely folk at Footscray Community
Arts Centre and the Asylum Seeker
Resource Centre for the delicious food.

Stephanie Rich of WHW and James Dunne of

HealthWest

For further details of the 2013/14

challenges and accomplishments
please see the annual report
at whwest.org.au

At this point, as in previous years, we

then introduced the feminist debate. Dr
Kristin Diemer and Rodney Vlais were
charged with the task of arguing that
women are not responsible for their

Audience enjoying the debate

whwnews edition 3 2014

PHOTOS: Sally Camilleri, Shifrah Blustein

We all know we need to reflect on our behaviour, actions and

plans to be able to make the best decisions, to do the best
work or just to be the best person we can be, which is why the
Womens Health Wests annual general meeting is so important.
On 19 November 2014, 110 people gathered at Footscray
Community Arts Centre to pause and examine our collective part
in working towards the health, safety and wellbeing of women
in the west this year.

The nature and impacts of violence

against women with a disability

The nature and impacts of

family violence on children

PREVENTION

of VIOLENCE

against

women
edition

Violence against women with a disability continues to occur at

unacceptably high rates in the home and in institutional and residential
care settings, undermining the health and wellbeing of women with
a disability and their ability to participate as full and equal citizens in
Australian society.

omen with a disability are more

likely to experience violence
and the violence can be more
severe and last longer than for women
without a disability. A recent survey of
367 women and girls with a disability,
led by Women With Disabilities
Australia, found that 22 per cent had
experienced violence in the past year.
Current evidence also indicates that 90
per cent of women with an intellectual
disability have experienced sexual assault,
compared to approximately one in five
Australian women. There is no systematic
collection of data in Australia, at either
a state or national level, that accurately
captures the prevalence of violence
experienced by women with a disability.

Current evidence clearly shows that family violence and associated

homelessness has a significant impact on children. Victoria Police data
shows that over 19,000 children were present at a family violence
incident in 201213.

t WHW around 65 per cent of

the women who accessed our
family violence service in 201213
were accompanied by children. Most
children who use homelessness services
have either witnessed or experienced
family violence and sexual abuse,
increasing their risk of developing mental
health and behavioural problems.

In 2014, Women with Disabilities

Victoria, in partnership with the Office
of the Public Advocate and Domestic
Violence Resource Centre Victoria,
launched a comprehensive research
project on the nature and impacts
of violence against women with a
disability. The final report for the project,
Voices Against Violence, found that
gender-based and disability-based
discrimination intersect and increase
the risk of violence for women with
disabilities. The report also makes
numerous recommendations on the
need for targeted primary prevention,
early intervention and tertiary response
initiatives for women with a disability.
WHW urges government to take up
the recommendations of this report.

Children who experience homelessness

because of family violence suffer
significant psychological distress, health
problems, educational disruption
and ongoing poverty. They are more
likely to be ill, more likely to become
isolated, and can become withdrawn,
unsettled, angry, even suicidal. There is
evidence to suggest that a substantial
number of children who witness
family violence develop post
traumatic symptoms.

Research suggests that approximately 20

per cent of children exposed to family
violence develop symptoms of post
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) lasting
more than twelve months, with more
than 50 per cent still showing symptoms
after twelve months. Similarity between
symptoms of PTSD and behavioural
problems such as aggressiveness,
irritability, high arousal, anxiety and
problems with social engagement
have regularly led to misdiagnosis, with
untreated trauma symptoms resulting
in longer term behavioural problems.
PTSD is compounded by
the frequent
moves that
accompany

homelessness due to family violence

from home, to refuge, to transitional
accommodation, to permanent
housing. Experts recommend reducing
the number of times women and
their children must move prior to
securing permanent housing, to
reduce the accompanying stress.
Children who experience homelessness
are also more likely to become homeless
as adults. Disruptions to schooling and
other support and resilience building
networks, coupled with an increase in
emotional and behavioural problems as a
result of experiencing and/or witnessing
family violence, can lead to the child
refusing to go to school because of their
anxiety levels and an associated
cycle of intergenerational
disadvantage. It is critical
that federal funding to
support early intervention
and tertiary responses
to family violence also
take the support needs of
children into consideration.

CASE STUDY
Valerie is a single woman with a mild intellectual disability. She has
been in and out of abusive relationships since she was 14 years old. She
is now 37 and living with her partner of eight months who regularly
beats her. She and her partner are receiving Commonwealth benefits
and are living in a private rental property under her partners name.
Valerie is referred by police to Womens Health West Crisis
Coordination and Intake Service. Valerie wants to leave the relationship
but there are few housing options available to her because:

1
2

She has no rental history

She is not eligible for shared community housing or a group

home because she is considered high functioning

She is unable to access transitional or public housing

as she has no dependants living with her

whwnews edition 3 2014

ILLUSTRATIONS: Isis and Pluto

Valerie is referred to a womens refuge that accepts

clients with a disability and who will provide longer
term support into permanent housing.

ILLUSTRATIONS: Isis and Pluto

Boarding houses are unsafe and she is scared

to go as bad things happen there

whwnews edition 3 2014

PREVENTION

of VIOLENCE

against

women
edition

The Ruby files

A kangaroo kids can talk to

Ruby Roo the Kangaroo, Stephanie, Nadine
and Aoibheann

Ruby Roo with Dr Cindy Blackstock,

Executive Director of the First Nations
Child and Family Caring Society of Canada

For mums

oliday season is coming up! I thought you

might like to try making a sensory box
or jar with your mum. It is great for helping
you to focus, relax and calm your nerves.

hings for mums to think about when

making the sensory box:

Think about how your child will engage all

of their senses. Ask yourself what feelings,
tastes, smells, and sounds your child will find
soothing and tailor the contents to suit them

If your child likes to experience things with their

mouth, then edible ingredients and larger objects
will work and will be safer with good supervision

If you use a big enough container your child can

get inside and have a whole body experience

Alternatively a small sealed jar is great

for looking at while travelling

You might like to focus on something that

your child loves, e.g. dinosaurs or rainbows

There are lots of ways to make a sensory

box but you need three main things:

For service providers

n August, Stephanie, Aoibheann and I went to

the Unique International Trauma Conference
on Childhood Trauma: Understanding the basis
of Change and Recovery, hosted by the good
folks at the Australian Childhood Foundation.
We were impressed to hear from the local and
international speakers about the many creative
approaches to therapy. The conference was in
Melbourne but some of the biggest international
names in child therapy were there, including Pat
Ogden, Dan Hughes, Dan Siegel and many more.
The focus was on sensory approaches helping
children regulate their nervous systems using
sensory activities and relationship building,
as well as co-regulation, which is when an adult
helps a child feel calm by feeling calm themselves.
I even got to meet some of the big names
personally what an honour! Cindy Blackstock
gave an inspiring speech on the wisdom of
children and how good they are at finding
solutions to tough problems; something were
all passionate about here at WHW. Here are
some photos of me with Pat Ogden, Cindy
Blackstock and Dan Hughes. Were looking
forward to the follow up conference in 2016.

whwnews edition 3 2014

For kids

1
2

One container (e.g. box, tub or jar)

Mix in lots of different little objects (e.g.

toys, rocks, leaves, seed pods, ice cubes)

One type of filling (e.g. rice, water, beans,

beads, bread crumbs, flour, or sand)

If you celebrate Christmas, heres an

idea for a special sensory box:
Ruby Roo
with Dr Dan
Hughes,
Clinical
Psychologist

1
2
3

Find a big plastic container

Now that youve made it, how do you play with it?

Fill it with rice or fake snow (you can

make fake snow by slowly mixing
shaving cream with baking soda)

Invite your child to explore and see what they can

find. Then you could play I spy together or ask them
to gather only the things that are red, or only things
that make a sound. Most of all, have fun with it!

Add Christmas decorations, e.g. toy

Christmas trees, reindeer, snowmen,
penguins, presents, pinecones, candy
canes, red and green pompoms,
paper snowflakes, tinsel, bells

Ruby Roo with

Dr Pat Ogden
Founder and
Educational
Director of the
Sensorimotor
Psychotherapy
Institute

whwnews edition 3 2014

PHOTOS: Stephanie and KidsActivitiesBlog.com

Hi boys and girls!

Ruby here, letting you know all the
exciting stuff I have been doing lately.

16 Partners,
women
16 Actions,
16 Days of Activism to
PREVENTION
VIOLENCE

of

against

edition

End Violence
Against Women

THE PARTNERS

Top row, lr: John Watson, Chair of

Administrators, Brimbank City Council; Lyn
Morgain, CEO, CoHealth; Jocelyn Bignold,
Chair, Western Integrated Family Violence
Committee
Second row, lr: Bruce Marshall OAM,
CEO, Djerriwarrh Community Health Service;
Management Group, HealthWest Partnership;
Robert Doyle, Lord Mayor, City of Melbourne
Third row, lr: Mayor and Councillors,
Hobsons Bay City Council; Robyn Gregory, CEO,
Womens Health West; Narelle Sharpe, Mayor,
Moonee Valley City Council; Jane Vanderstoel,
CEO, and Sheri Zala, Senior Counsellor/
Advocate, WestCASA
Fourth row, lr: Emma Fitzsimon, Interim
Executive Officer, Inner North West Primary
Care Partnership; Terry OBryan, CEO ISIS
Primary Care; Strategy and Policy Development
Committee, Wyndham City Council
Bottom row, lr: Councillors, Maribyrnong
City Council; Kelvin Tori, CEO, Melton City
Council; Members, West Metro Indigenous
Family Violence Regional Action Group

Sally Camilleri, Health Promotion Coordinator

In 1991, lawyers, policymakers, teachers,

healthcare workers, researchers,
journalists and activists from around
the world gathered to discuss genderbased violence and human rights.
These 23 women learned from one
anothers experiences and developed
strategies to increase international

whwnews edition 3 2014

awareness of the systemic nature

of violence against women and to
expose this violence as a violation of
womens human rights. The 16 Days
of Activism against Gender Violence
is one of the results of that event.
The campaign begins on the
International Day for the Elimination of
Violence Against Women (25 November)
and ends on International Human Rights
Day (10 December) symbolising that
violence against women is a violation
of human rights. Other significant days
fall within the period: the anniversary
of the Montreal Massacre, for example,
is on 6 December and commemorates
the deaths of 14 young women who
studied engineering and were killed at
Montreal University in Canada in 1989.
After ordering 48 men to leave the
room, the gunman opened fire on the
women shouting, I hate feminists!
Since the 1990s, the international 16
Days of Activism campaign has inspired
individuals and groups around the world

10

As we approached 25 November,
lord mayors, councillors, executive
officers, managers, committees and
other champions across the western
region declared their commitment to
prevent violence against women by
highlighting actions their organisations
have committed to undertake. These
actions highlight our efforts to promote
equality between women and men
and to dismantle the barriers to
leadership and other opportunities
within workplaces and community.
This campaign highlights the fact that,
together, 16 partners in the western
region are committed to creating
workplaces and communities that
are non-violent, non-discriminatory,
gender equitable and promote
respectful relationships, with the
ultimate goal of removing violence
against women as an option for any
individual man, community or society.
You can read more about the western
region 16 Days campaign and
download the Preventing Violence
Together United action plan here:
www.whwest.org.au/healthpromotion/prevent-violence

PHOTOS: Scout Kozakiewicz

hese causes of violence against

women are not generally well
understood. Many people think
that the source of violence depends on
other factors, like alcohol consumption.
However, we know that drinking
alcohol alone will not result in increased
violence against women, but will make
the problem worse in situations where
gender inequity and rigid gender roles
are prevalent. Alcohol consumption
and other factors, like financial stress,
influence rates of violence, but focussing
on changing influencing factors will
not prevent violence against women
in the long run. This work must
focus on the causes themselves.

to call for the elimination of all forms

of violence against women. Effecting
change when confronted by such a
global problem requires those who
are committed to band together. The
western region partnership, Preventing
Violence Together United, added our
voices this year through the 16 Partners,
16 Actions, 16 Days of Activism initiative.

PhotOS: Scout Kozakiewicz

While violence against women takes different forms according to

its cultural context, the problem exists everywhere. Evidence from
VicHealth, the World Health Organisation, the Australian institute
of Criminology and the US Center for Health and Gender Equity,
among others, confirms that the underlying causes of violence against
women are unequal power relations between women and men, and
rigid gender stereotypes. For example, international studies show that
countries like Iceland, where power is distributed more evenly between
women and men and where gender roles and attitudes are more fluid
and flexible, record much lower rates of violence against women. The
opposite is true in countries where men hold more power than women
and where gender roles are fixed.

How 34 women created change

using human rights, and so can you
Shifrah Blustein, Health Promotion Worker

Womens Health West has developed three short inspirational films and a series of fact sheets for service
providers and community members to share what we have learned from the Our Community, Our Rights
project.
Background
From 2011 to 2014, Womens Health
West designed and implemented
an innovative project that aimed to
strengthen the capacity of refugee
and migrant women to effectively
respond to and prevent human
rights violations experienced by their
communities. This work was driven
by research and our own community
consultations, which demonstrated that:

Refugee and migrant women

face major barriers to asserting
their human rights and
other legal protections

Refugee and migrant communities

experience serious human rights
violations and concerns in Australia

Low levels of rights literacy,

lack of confidence and a lack of
understanding of the support
available leads to fear and isolation

Lack of access to practical recourse

and opportunities to influence
change in response to problems like
racism, violence against women and
exploitation at work leads to the
entrenchment of disadvantage in
already marginalised communities

Our work sought to intervene in this

cycle, with significant outcomes.
We have worked closely with 34
emerging female leaders from South
Sudan, Burma and India to support
their leadership and capacity to make
change. With intensive support from
WHW, this group of women delivered
seven human rights based projects
tackling complex concerns, including
improving the cultural sensitivity of

whwnews edition 3 2014

the service system, gender equity

and violence against women in
multicultural communities, unsolicited
door-to-door sales and discrimination
faced by international students.

Complex questions
Our work to support these budding
activists has involved asking ourselves
difficult questions, including:

How can we best support womens

capacity to drive change on
their concerns, in light of the
significant barriers they face?
How can we support marginalised
women to analyse and locate
their own experiences in a
broader narrative of human
rights and social justice?
How can we ensure that
workshops take account of the
intricate cultural, biographical
and educational experiences of
refugee and migrant women?
How can we support women to look
beyond the personal responsibility
we have been socialised to feel,
towards the systemic and structural
causes of their oppression?

Resources to inspire and share

Fact sheets
To capture what weve learned while
engaging with these questions,
and with input from the Victorian
Equal Opportunity and Human
Rights Commission and women
involved in the project, WHW has
developed a series of factsheets six

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for service providers and three for

community groups and individuals.
The resources for workers are designed
to share transferrable principles for
those supporting refugee and migrant
communities and other marginalised
communities. Principles that maximise
participation, respect for human rights,
opportunities for community members to
influence change, cultural responsiveness
and gender sensitivity can be embedded
in all our work, whether we are
delivering direct services or conducting
community development projects.
The fact sheets developed for community
members suggest a range of practical
responses to common human rights
concerns faced by refugee and migrant
communities. These resources
addressing discrimination at work,
racism at school and gender-based
violence at home support community
members to identify responses that
might be appropriate for them at selfadvocacy, legal and systemic levels.
Films
Film-maker Danielle Karalus of Atticus
Films helped WHW produce three
short films to convey the journeys
of women who participated in Our
Community, Our Rights. We hope the
films inspire community members and
support organisations to understand
how human rights principles can be
activated in everyday life, while the fact
sheets provide the practical substance
required to undertake work with others.
In the films, five project participants
generously and bravely share their
stories and perspectives, and call for

further action to ensure that refugee

and migrant communities are afforded
due protection of their rights.

Upcoming events
In February 2015, WHW will run
a workshop to launch the service
provider fact sheets and share some
of what weve learned. Come along
to participate in an interactive and
practical session designed to:

Build your understanding of

how capacity to take action on
human rights functions as a
social determinant of health

Strengthen your skills in the design

of culturally-specific and responsive
community development activities

Keep an eye on our website and social

media for further details, or
contact shifrah@whwest.org.au
to register your interest.
To celebrate International Womens
Day 2015, and in partnership with
local councils and Our Community, Our
Rights participants, WHW will launch our
three human rights films and celebrate
the achievements of women involved
in the project. Come and be inspired
by these strong womens stories and
increase your understanding of how
you can practically deploy human rights
and other legal protections to advocate
for your community or your clients.
Wednesday 4 March 2015
11:45am for a 12pm start
Footscray Community Arts Centre
Following the launches, the fact sheets
and films will also be available on our
website: whwest.org.au/rights

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whwnews edition 3 2014

Lead On Again
Big Ellery Creek

Desert Divas at the Bush Band Bash

Keeping Equity at the Centre

22nd National Australian Health Promotion Association Conference

Kate Hauser, Health Promotion Worker

Ten years of helping young women take charge of

their lives and our future

In September, four Womens Health West workers attended the Australian Health Promotion Association
Conference in Alice Springs. Over two days our staff joined other delegates to ponder the challenge of
keeping equity at the centre of discussions across a diverse range of health promotion priorities.

The tenth annual Lead On Again program is happening again in

January 2015! This leadership program is specifically designed for
refugee and migrant young women aged 1624 who live, work or
study in the west of Melbourne. It provides strengths-based training to
increase their leadership skills, knowledge and capacity, and facilitate
their participation in community and leadership activities.

Previous participants have told us

about all the immediate and long-term
benefits they experienced after doing the
program. One of the 2008 participants
told us several years later that Lead
On Again had really encouraged
her to think differently about being
a woman and what her role is:
In my culture, women are supposed
to be in the background, youre
not talking about what you think...

whwnews edition 3 2014

14

Lead On Again helped me, even

being a woman, to take charge. I
realised that even though you are
a woman, you can be a leader...
You can be a light and show
someone the way. You know.

Later in the day, Kirsten Campbell

facilitated a workshop on WHWs
delivery of practical human rights
training with a focus on enabling
women to participate in civil society
and to drive change on their concerns
and priorities. You can read more about
WHWs work with women from South
Sudan, Burma and India on page 12.

Belise, 2008 participant

Another went on to participate in

national youth advisory groups and also
speak at the UN Youth Alliance. She said,
I believe Ive been a voice to
the people from a multicultural
background. Its like the birthplace
of my success, for me, Lead On Again.
Sinke, 2010 participant

For more information about this

popular, long-running program, visit
www.whwest.org.au/leadership
or contact Kirsten on 9689 9588
or kirsten@whwest.org.au

PhotOS: Scout Kozakiewicz, Sally Camilleri

Womens Health West and the

Western Young Peoples Independent
Network (WYPIN) are partners in
running the program, which includes
a week of workshops on leadership
like public speaking, planning an
event, conflict resolution, and healthy
relationships. Participants have lots
of practical opportunities to try out
their skills throughout the week,
including organising an event.

During the breaks, I encouraged other

delegates to view my poster presentation
and engaged them in discussion about
the importance of making client and
community participation a wholeof-organisation commitment.
One of the strong themes threaded
through conference presentations was
the critical role language plays in efforts
to improve health equity. In her keynote
presentation, Kerry Taylor described how

language carries meaning in healthcare

settings and experiences; she explained
that life expectancy and health is better
where language is protected and that it
is no coincidence that the decline in the
health of Indigenous people in Australia
is matched by the decline in support for
Indigenous languages. Taylors research
in Central Australia looked at how
language has been used to label and
assert power over Indigenous people,
resulting in their disengagement with
the health care system. Conversely,
she described promising opportunities
to improve Indigenous peoples
healthcare experiences by developing a
shared language that respects cultural
difference and urges staff to relinquish
control [in this process] in an effort to
cease trying to engage and allow
themselves to be engaged.
This principle of prioritising local control
and meaningful language was also
central to the health education project
featured in the keynote address by
Elaine Lawurrpa Maypilama, Rosemary
Gundjarranbuy and Anne Lowell. The
project, based in Northeast Arnhem
Land, responded to community concerns
that serious gaps in communication
relating to chronic disease information
are undermining the health of

15

Yolgnu communities in the region.

For example, participants stated:
They dont give the story; they only
give us medication and send us home.
This is a pen Balanda (nonIndigenous people) only give the
Yolgnu the lid of it and not the whole
pen. We need the full information,
this has been happening for a long
time. Where is the full information?

The project prioritises this call for health

promotion education that includes the
whole story, delivered in local language
in a way that is culturally meaningful.
This approach challenges the common
assumption that when it comes to the
delivery of health promotion programs,
cross-cultural communication is just
a matter of simplifying or translating
existing health messages. WHW
workers agreed that this project
had important implications in the
western region to increase meaningful
community control across all projects.
We returned to our Melbourne
colleagues inspired to share these
insights from around the country
and to strengthen our local efforts to
improve health and wellbeing outcomes
for women in Melbournes west.

whwnews edition 3 2014

PhotoS: Kate Hauser

n keeping with this theme, Trish

Hayes presented on the strength
of partnerships in nudging the
state to take action in complex areas
of health equity and to uphold rights
for disadvantaged population groups.
This presentation outlined WHWs
experiences as the lead organisation
implementing Action for Equity, the
first regional sexual and reproductive
health plan of its kind in Victoria.

Kirsten Campbell, Health Promotion Worker

donations

Review

The Women of the West raised a total of $430 through a

cycle-powered movie night and shared the proceeds between
the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, Permaculture Out
West and Womens Health West. Thank you!

PHOTO: Karin Holzknecht

PHOTO: Sammi from Mamma Knows West

The Talk A Sexual Health and

Ethics DVD by Nelly Thomas

A big thank you to the ladies from the Zonta Club

of Melbournes West, who donated $500 for a
mosaic project well run in our crisis accommodation
service! We are so grateful for their support.

Debra Wannan, Finance Officer

Sophie, Crisis Accommodation Coordinator

One of the most uncomfortable conversations for many parents and

their children is also one of the most important. Wouldnt it be great
if you had some help? Nelly Thomas is the quintessential cool Aunt
in her delivery of The Talk A Sexual Health and Ethics DVD, aimed
at parents, carers and teenagers. Easily relatable to both parents and
young people, her approach is comprehensive and humorous.

Donor

Type of Donation

Donor

Purpose

Kirsten Campbell

Teddy bear

McAuley Community
Services for Women

Assorted childrens clothes

Magistrates'
Court of Victoria,
Criminal Justice
Diversion program

11 x court
ordered funds

Zonta Club of Melton

New born baby packs

and toiletries

Zonta Club of
Melbournes West

Funds from raffle

and donation for
mosaic project

Donations are tax deductible.

Women of the West

Fundraisers x 2

To donate online www.whwest.org.au/about-us/

donations

TOTAL

Amount
$5,700

This dynamic format succeeds in

holding the interest of the audience
throughout the 70-minute film.

elly is friendly, but firm. At the start

of the DVD, she addresses young
people through the TV screen
asking, Have your parents left you alone
to watch this? Go and get them. Ill wait.
This is an excellent aid for young people
and their parents, not a replacement for
genuine open communication between
young people and their parents about sex.

The Talk does not shy away from

serious topics like sexual assault and
consent in relationships. Nelly challenges
common myths and stereotypes about
gender roles and clearly communicates
that sexual assault is never the fault
of the victim, and unless consent has
been freely and clearly given, sexual
activity must stop immediately.

The DVD covers respect in relationships,

sexually-transmitted infections, the basic
mechanics of sex, and the diversity of
sexual relationships. Nelly injects just
enough humour to break up serious
sections without detracting from the
essential information, using vox pop,
stand-up comedy and family role-play.

Membership form

Womens Health West would like to extend our warmest thanks for the following contributions from June to
October 2014. These much-appreciated donations and grants help us to enhance our programs and services.
Every donation goes straight to assisting women and children.

whwnews edition 3 2014

Amanda Wimetal, Health Promotion Worker

One of the most important components

of any sexual health promotion material
is appropriate referral pathways, and The
Talk regularly refers to the appropriate

organisations
young people can go to for assistance,
as well as listing web addresses.
Parents and carers are often more
uncomfortable talking about sexual
health than their children, so perhaps
the best feature of the DVD is that
it enables the critical conversations
that will equip young people to
take care of their sexual health.
For more information or to order a copy,
visit www.thetalkdvd.com.au

Membership is free. To apply, fill in this form and mail to

Womens Health West: 317319 Barkly Street, Footscray VIC 3011

TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP

CONTACT DETAILS

Individual Voting Member

(woman who lives, works or studies in the western metro region)

A DD R E S S

NAME
S U B U R B P O S T C ODE

 rganisational Member
O
(organisation in, or whose client-base includes, the region)

P H ONE ( W )

P H ONE ( H )

O R G A NI S A TION

(Individual members only)

$544

E M A I L A DD R E S S
C ONT A C T P E R S ON

$1,200

S I G N A T U R E D A TE

(This person is also eligible to attend and vote at our Annual General Meeting)
P O S ITION

$7,444

 ssociate Non-voting Member

A
(individual or organisation outside the region)

16

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whwnews edition 3 2014

Featured publication

Top five print publications

for 201314

Karin Holzknecht, Communications Worker

Weve crunched the numbers to find out which print

publications were most in demand in 201314. Chances are,
something in the top five will interest you as well!

1. Life without family violence

wallet cards

a breach. They are available in

English, Arabic and Vietnamese.

These wallet-sized cards list phone

numbers for family violence
services in the western region and
some statewide services. They are
available in twelve languages.

4. Family Violence Crisis

Outreach Service brochure

2. My Safety Plan brochure

This booklet contains information

that others have found useful when
they have left a violent relationship.
The suggestions can be adapted
to individual circumstances.

3. What if the intervention

order is breached? How to
collect evidence brochure

Unfortunately, perpetrators
sometimes ignore intervention
orders meant to protect women and
children who have experienced family
violence. These brochures describe
safe ways to gather evidence of

This brochure outlines the crisis

and short-term support Womens
Health West can provide to
help women and their children
become safe from violence.

This form may be used as a tax invoice for GST purposes

Order Form Tax Invoice
ABN 24 036 234 159

FREE
Description

Qty (max. 25)

Life without family violence wallet cards

Please circle language: English / Amharic
/ Arabic / Bosnian / Cantonese /
Filipino / Mandarin / Serbian / Somali
/ Swahili / Tigrinya / Vietnamese

Calling all members: do we have your

email address?

Are you signed up for our

e-newsletter?

Creative arts therapy for kids during

school holidays

Womens Health West is updating our

members list and we realised we only have
email addresses for half of you! We would
love to keep in touch with you about your
membership, campaign activities, events
and publications and email is a fast,
cheap and paperless way for us to do that.

We love relaxing with a cup of coffee and

whw news, but sometimes an email is just
the thing for a speedy catch-up on the
latest. And sharing news with others online
is so easy! If you agree, why not sign up
for our e-newsletter mailing list? We send
it every two months and sometimes special
notices about events and campaigns
you can always unsubscribe again with
just a click of the mouse if its too much.

Womens Health Wests childrens

counselling team will be running three
theme-based creative arts therapy mornings
during the school holidays. These sessions
are open to children aged 812 who have
been exposed to family violence. Children
are welcome to attend one or all of the
sessions. Sessions will be held Tuesday
mornings on 6, 13 and 20 January 2015.

To sign up for e-news, you can either

fill in the form on our website or
send us an email at info@whwest.
org.au requesting to be added.

If you would like to receive

communications from us via email, please
drop us a line at info@whwest.org.au
to confirm or update your email address.

Theres no better publication if

you want an overview of the many
ways Womens Health West works
towards equity and justice for
women in the west! Its a treasure
trove of data and information.
To download or order print copies
of these popular publications,
please find the one you want at
whwest.org.au/resources and
then complete a publication order
form for that resource online. Or
fill out the order form below.

Order by mail

Communications Worker
Womens Health West
317 319 Barkly Street FOOTSCRAY VIC 3011

Order by fax

03 9689 3861

Order by email

info@whwest.org.au

Order by phone

03 9689 9588

Payment

Please send payment with your order or we can

invoice you. Cheques payable to:
Womens Health West

Themes include:

Emotional regulation What

do I do with my big feelings?
Resources What helps me feel okay?
Respectful relationships What
is my personal space bubble?

Please chat with women you work with to

see if they are interested in their children
attending. For more information, call the
childrens counselling team on 9689 9588.

5. Annual Report 201213

order form
Womens Health West Publications

Notices

Thank you for your

support in 2014.
See you next year!

delivery DETAILS
Name:

My Safety Plan brochure

Organisation:

What if the intervention order is breached?

How to collect evidence brochure

Postal Address:
Postcode:

Please circle language: English /

Arabic / Vietnamese

Phone: Fax:

Family Violence Crisis Outreach Service brochure

Email:

Annual Report 201213

Womens Health West

acknowledges the support of
the Victorian state government

A range of brochures and fact sheets are available from our web site
www.whwest.org.au/resources

whwnews edition 3 2014

18

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whwnews edition 3 2014

whw in the news

Womens Health West

317-319 Barkly Street
Footscray 3011
phone
fax
email
website

womens health west equity and justice for women in the west

9689 9588

9689 3861

info@whwest.org.au

www.whwest.org.au