Domestic Violence NSW

It’s hard for many people to understand the fear that goes with being isolated. Clients tell us how desperate they were to reach out. But feared not being believed that their “perfect partner in the community” is abusing them demanding money. The fear of the consequences when coming back to the abuser who now knows they have been exposed. The wrath of the mother in law. The disgust from the sister-in-law for daring to slight her precious brother. The slap, the silence, the scraps of food, the taunts all around within earshot but never direct. Each perpetrator deploying their own form of torment. Until the client is so defeated and scared they give in. They go begging to their family to satisfy the husband and in-laws. Thus fracturing relationships with the maternal family, as she is the one asking not the in-laws. Damned if you do & damned if you don’t. These situations haunt victims for many years after they escape the abuse. It shatters their ability to trust anyone. And that is why we need to #EndDowryAbuse. #Dare2Influence change by speaking up for those who are in isolation. Gunjan Pagare Sharmila Falzon Menaka Iyengar Cooke Sharon Petrović Juliana Nkrumah AM Dr Tinashe Dune Astrid Perry OAM Domestic Violence NSW Supriya Singh Dr. Lata Satyen Donna Davis Jodi McKay Hannah Tonkin Micaela Cronin

Early-intervention saves lives. Investing in Aboriginal led family violence responses saves lives. Ashlee Donohue and her team are an integral service and have dedicated so much to saving lives and advocating for change. https://lnkd.in/gcMcDB3a

Back in March, Andrew Mason and I had the privilege of interviewing some of the smartest and most influential women about their thoughts on the subject of domestic violence. It was rare to have so many of the nation’s most intelligent people in the one place, speaking as one about a subject they feel so strongly about. Their passion, their rage, even their fatigue, is palpable. Sadly, most of this material didn’t get used. But their message remains important. I can’t imagine having to explain for the 10,000th time why it’s bad to live in a culture where it’s acceptable to kill women. Yet time and again, the message is lost or drowned out by other things. This video is for them. Thank you to Anne Summers, Delia Donovan, Virginia Haussegger AM, The Hon Quentin Bryce, and everyone else who spared us their time.

"We argue that in its current form, the system upholds the impunity of perpetrators – a major failing at a time when our leaders continue to claim to be committed to transformative action to end violence in all its forms, irrespective of visa status." Women's Agenda https://lnkd.in/gYr-vCnz

Have you saved the date? Find out more or submit your abstract 👉 https://lnkd.in/eqnMr4ju

Visas and immigration status are common tools of systems abuse used to control and threaten victim-survivors. As of October 15, the Australian Migration Regulations were updated to allow secondary applicants on a number of permanent visas access to the Family Violence Provisions. This is important because it gives people experiencing domestic or family violence a safe way to leave an abusive relationship without worrying about losing their residency. This is a great step forward but we need to consider how we are supporting victim-survivors on temporary visas who aren't covered by these changes and are vulnerable to perpetrators who can keep women trapped in an abusive relationship, living in fear on the promise of a permanent pathway to citizenship that may never come. Immigration Advice and Rights Centre (IARC) will host an information session on these changes soon.

The NSW domestic violence death review found that one-third of homicide victims experienced stalking during their relationship – if you consider this when looking at the high rates of stalking Australians are experiencing according to the ABS, this is a very concerning picture. The recent announcement of the legal definition of stalking being expanded to include technology facilitated abuse was a great step forward. Now we need to resource responding services appropriately and educate everyone about the forms stalking can take.

Data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics reminds us that stalking isn’t just harassment, it’s a warning sign that can lead to an escalation of violence. We need to take these red flags seriously, believe victim-survivors and ensure their safety. Read the report here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gt6gwcGn

"Having electronic monitoring of serious domestic and family violence offenders is crucial in keeping victim-survivors safe when those offenders are released on bail and it has the potential to save people's lives" - Elise Phillips talks to Sophie Walsh on Channel 9 last Friday, responding to the Australian Labor Party announcement about electronic monitoring of domestic violence offenders.

Electronic monitoring will be an important part of responding to domestic and family violence. Any breach of an ADVO is potentially life threatening. We welcome these new protections and will continue to work with our members to ensure they're effective. Risk can escalate very quickly, emergency services and specialist domestic and family violence services must be resourced and equipped to respond. Delia Donovan