Respect Victoria

We're excited to announce that Respect Victoria has been named a finalist in the 2025 Inspiring Workplaces Awards for Australasia! This acknowledgement highlights the commitment we have to building a workplace where trust, purpose, and belonging impact all aspects of the work that we do. Maintaining a culture where we put people first is key to helping not only our team thrive, but also helps strengthen the work that we do. It’s an honour to be recognised alongside a line-up of 13 other organisations, and we look forward to the final awards announcement on August 1!

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Racism is a social problem - which means all of us play a part in either propping it up - or calling it out. Challenging racism helps change the conditions that make gendered violence possible and creates safer communities – for all women. 💜

🌍 This week we’re celebrating #CulturalDiversityWeek, an initiative led by Victorian Multicultural Commission. At Respect Victoria, our strength lies in the diverse backgrounds, cultures, identities, and experiences of our team. We know that by coming together, we bring more knowledge, empathy, and insight to our purposed of preventing gendered violence. Everyone’s experience is shaped by a mix of factors, including their gender, culture, age, disability and faith, which influence how we experience marginalisation, discrimination, and support. Our organisation takes that range of identities into account as we work to support both the community and our team. By recognising and embracing the different identities that make up our team, we create an environment where people feel seen, heard, and valued. We celebrate the richness of cultural holidays, traditions, and perspectives, learning from each other to build a workplace where respect and inclusion are at the core of everything we do. Knowing our people live multifaceted lives in and outside the office also informs our approach to wellbeing. Our Safety Health and Wellbeing Plan centres the whole person, valuing mental health, financial stability, and physical wellbeing. This holistic approach is backed by practical initiatives, from our coffee catch ups and wellbeing room, to our counselling and debriefing services. We’re building a thriving, happy and effective workforce, where talking about mental health is part of how we demonstrate care and compassion to ourselves and each other. At Respect Victoria, diversity and inclusion isn’t just a policy - it’s about creating a space for belonging, progression, and connection. We’re proud to work together toward a future led by equality and respect. [Alt: RV staff having lunch together at a restaurant.]

Last week, we kicked off co-design work with community members to lay the foundations for the Ballarat Community Saturation Model. Each person joining us in this work brings community connections, local knowledge, expertise and a deep commitment to creating a Ballarat where everyone is safe, equal and respected. To get regular updates on the Ballarat Community Saturation Model join the mailing list here: https://lnkd.in/gyhuaKew Thanks to WIN News for this report.

Yesterday we attended a powerful event hosted by the Multicultural Centre for Women's Health - Engaging Migrant and Refugee Men in Gendered Violence Prevention. We heard from a line-up of incredible community leaders and experts including Respect Victoria alumni Innocent Mwatsiya, Ph.D., RV board Nesreen Bottriell, MC Nour Haydar, Priyanka A., Shane Tas (he/him) and Shankar Kasynathan, who are committed to reshaping the way men are engaged in prevention work. The event explored diverse perspectives, from the lived experiences of those affected by violence, to the challenges and opportunities in reaching migrant and refugee men. It was a reminder of the deep trauma many men face and the importance of creating spaces where men can reflect, grow, and change. The discussion touched on the need for a shift away from the rigid gender binary and how migrant and refugee men often face a combination of trauma, racism, and a lack of agency in their lives. It's clear that to prevent violence, we must not only address the behaviours but also consider the systemic barriers that prevent men from engaging in meaningful change. We must continue to create inclusive, culturally safe spaces where men feel supported and empowered to take part in these important conversations around gender and violence. We are committed to continue contributing to these conversations and fostering environments where these critical issues are addressed. 🧡 (Pictured: Our Senior Research Advisor Hazel Donley with RV alums Desiree Bensley and Innocent Mwatsiya, Ph.D.)

The Ballarat Community Saturation Model is about every part of the community coming together to take action and play a role in preventing gendered violence. Last week we kicked off the first workshops in Ballarat to co-design the model alongside passionate, dedicated community members and our colleagues at The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI).   The energy, dedication, and wealth of experience that co-designers brought into these initial workshops set the tone for the next few months of working together to build the foundations of the model. Co-designers spoke about the appetite for change in Ballarat, the fantastic work and community discussions that are already happening, and began mapping opportunities for future prevention work.   Some of the co-designers are pictured below, alongside team members from TACSI and RV.  Read more about the co-design working group on our website https://lnkd.in/gjKsVbvC [Alt: Two groups of people, standing and sitting together, smiling at the camera.]

Today, as we mark the 6th anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks, we reflect on the devastating impact of Islamophobia and its role in fuelling such heinous acts of violence. This attack was not an isolated incident but a grim reminder of the consequences of unchecked hatred and the dangerous impact of Islamophobia. March 15 also marks the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, a time to reaffirm our commitment to standing against discrimination and violence targeting Muslim communities worldwide. This day is becoming particularly significant given the alarming rise in Islamophobic incidents in Australia. Recent figures show more than a 400% increase in incidents reported to the Islamophobia Register in the past year alone. Among those reported, women and girls account for 75 per cent of all victims (Islamophobia Register Australia). Many women in our programs also reported struggling with poor mental health, heightened fear, and a diminished sense of self- esteem as a direct result of this surge in Islamophobia or direct experiences with it. Despite the distressing consequences on our communities, too often, Islamophobic acts are met with indifference, dismissal, or even a sense of normalisation. Today is a reminder that everyone has a shared responsibility to work together to combat Islamophobia and to raise awareness of its devasting impacts. We must actively educate, create safe spaces, and demand that all people – regardless of their religion, race or background – be treated with dignity and respect. 📍If you or someone you know has experienced any form of #Islamophobia, report to Islamophobia Register Australia via islamophobia.com.au 📍ICV Islamophobia Support also provides holistic support to the wider Victorian Muslim community who have been impacted by Islamophobia. Contact ICV on 03 9328 2067 or email at islamophobiasupport@icv.org.au In the case of an emergency, please call 000

"By standing here and them [victim-survivors] seeing that we care, and we're here - if nothing else, we leave a window open for them..." 🧡

If you’ve been following along with our Change the Landscape series, you may have wondered: how can I help?     Katie Griffin has 6 broad and essential actions we can all take.     To learn more, and to watch the full video, head to https://lnkd.in/gicUBk8B 🔗    Asset description: Katie Brebner Griffin speaks to the camera in front of a blue background. The end of the video changes to navy text on a blue background: Take Note #7 Primary prevention in action. Watch the full video, visit ourwatch.org.au. Our Watch and Women with Disabilities Victoria logos.       #WomenwithDisabilitiesVictoria #OurWatch #ChangingtheLandscape 

Organising events and having a survivor advocate talk about their lived experience can be powerful ways of engaging audiences and sharing messages to promote change. But how can we ensure that these forums are effective, safe and ethical? 1) Be clear on purpose and aims 2) Know your audience 3) Be open to input and feedback 4) Consider your resourcing 5) Plan for things that might go wrong 🔗 For more, check out our latest resource Ethical Engagement of Survivor Advocates: https://lnkd.in/gUhz3qxv This tip sheet adds to these resources, with a focus on speaking engagements and events. It has been developed in collaboration with survivor advocates and reflects the things that they felt were most important to remember when organising events.