Healing to Action’s Post

Whatever you think about "domestic violence," I say stop and pause and read Sheerine Alemzadeh's article in the Tribune. We, as a society, have accepted a highly-individualized approach rooted in paternalistic and patriarchal attitudes towards survivors. But gender-based violence is not an “interpersonal” issue. Gender-based violence happens in homes, in schools, in workplaces  - it is everywhere and therefore, it must be seen as community violence. Once we acknowledge its vastness, then we can see the fallacy of trying to have only one solution rooted in intervention that has historically failed and instead, focus on listening to survivors’ call to invest in prevention and community-based efforts. #genderbasedviolence #sexualviolence #survivorled #survivors #nonprofit #chicago

At SafeHouse we know, that for people who are in active domestic violence situations, the New Year may fall in the aftermath of increased pain, fear, and abuse. Additional togetherness, financial stress, increased alcohol consumption, heightened family tensions, and emotional pressures may create volatile situations that lead to more violence. While call volume to domestic violence hotlines decreases on actual holidays, it tends to surge by about 5% in the days following, according to nationwide data. If you have a friend or loved one you know or suspect to be in an unhealthy relationship, now may be the perfect time to check-in. Read on in our blog to learn how you can help. https://lnkd.in/dhJPzDhF #domesticviolence #sexualassault #believesurvivors #shelbycounty #alabamanonprofit 

“We must hold those perpetrators to account, yes, but we must also instil in our boys something better than this narrow and damaging definition we use to describe a 'real man'. This definition tells our sons that they must keep their fears to themselves or be an outsider in our culture. We must teach them instead that being stoic, tough and in control means nothing without also being compassionate, thoughtful and kind." I wholeheartedly believe that this will help eliminate domestic violence in our society. Having worked in this space for a long time now, I am often asked what we can do to make change. My response always is to look at abuse from a micro level. Start having conversations with our children and support them to call out power struggles when they see it. Teach our children about the importance of kindness and that it’s ok not to be tough all the time. To always meet aggression with compassion and always ask if someone is ok. We need to start looking at domestic violence and the power imbalances through the lens of the youth. If we can implement change here, we can start to see change at the top. Let’s continue this dialogue for children like Luke Batty.

It's time to revolutionize the way we hold abuse accountable. Time to change the way we approach safeguarding. It's time to stop demanding women leave their homes, disrupt their children's schooling, and stability, risk losing access to their assets, to their community & family because a partner is abusing them. Refuge, though it's been a vital part of keeping women safe from domestic abusers, is a dislocating, destabilizing intervention for women fleeing abuse & often it is not available. Many refuges are full. Refuge is not an acceptable, safe option for MANY women who have system trauma, who are system hesitant because of racism & bias. In family courts women who flee to refuge can also be blamed being charged with 'parental alienation' because of taking kids with them to seek safety. Perpetrators weaponize women seeking refuge in custody cases & successfully. Women should NOT have to upend their lives because someone is behaving criminally in their homes. Women should not have to leave their homes & assets they have worked hard for because someone is abusing them. Children's lives should not be disrupted because a parent is criminal. If men were the prevalent victims of relationship abuse, they would NOT be expected to flee the homes they worked for, they would NOT be expected to abandon assets they earned & invested in, and they would NOT be expected to upend their lives or the lives of the children they cared for. Gender bias expects women to leave, to upend their lives, to abandon the homes & assets they have earned, to disrupt the lives of their children, to dislocate them from family & community & when they do NOT be blamed by child protective services for failure to protect when a partner is criminally violent & coercive. Gender bias says that the rights of a perpetrator are more to be considered than the rights, comfort, safety, stability & wellbeing of women & children. Gender bias creates unhousedness, de stability, poverty, loss of assets, education loss, disconnection from family & community support, employment loss, dislocation. Remove abusers, take them from our homes, remove their ability to weaponize assets, remove their access to children, police them, micromanage them, put them in behavioral clinics, teach them how to be relationally non violent, monitor them, mandate to them! If the reason children are in danger is because of a perpetrator put THEIR name on the child protection case, not the name of the mother by default, stop blaming mothers & ignoring fathers who are violent. This is one immediate action that can be done without changing laws or policy: screen for domestic abuse in child protection cases & open the case in the name of the alleged perpetrator NOT the mother by default. This practice should be immediately ended in ALL child protection systems. It is gender biased & dangerous. Revolutionize how we protect families & children from a violent adult living in their home!!

Home is where one should feel safe to be in. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many who experience and witness violence in the family. While the use of violence is always wrong, we need to be sensitive to the family dynamic and deep seeded issues in the family that may have led to violence. Having a protection order from the Court can be a helpful deterrent to the reoccurrence of violence for some, but can put a wrench in some relationships. While more steps forward to seek help for family violence they experience, Social Workers (and other helping professionals) need to respond appropriately to render support to victims of violence, and also focus on helping the family to find alternatives to violence, support the family to address the issues and rebuild the relationship where possible.

Are you ready to make a real difference? Right now, there are incredible opportunities across Victoria for people with diverse skills, experiences, backgrounds, and qualifications. The family violence sector needs people with unique talents and perspectives for roles as varied as the communities we serve. Whether you’re a social worker, researcher, educator, advocate, or leader, there’s a place for you in our sector’s mission to end family violence. Why Work in Family Violence? ·      Make an impact: Support people and families affected by violence and work with men who use violence. ·      Diverse roles: From counseling and research to advocacy and leadership, the opportunities are endless. ·      Community focus: Help create safer, healthier communities throughout Victoria. In this video, Marcus, a Family Violence Specialist with The Salvation Army, shares his experience working with men who choose to use family violence in rural and regional Victoria. “What you'll often find in regional areas is that the people who work in it are a part of the community in which they live,” says Marcus. “In essence, everyone has their arm around each other trying to achieve the same goal, and that is to make a positive impact on men who are choosing to use violence, and in return, we have safer families and a safer community.” https://lnkd.in/gW9DwHS9 To read about job opportunities, go here: https://lnkd.in/gFETxSz

So well explained as always Ruth We need everyone signing the National Saving Women and Children’s Lives petition to help us do exactly this in Australia: https://lnkd.in/g_X8biBf 1. Identify the perpetrator. Diagnose coercive control (Safe & Together Institute Mapping Perpetrator Patterns of Behaviour Tool). 2. Create an evidence brief with the victim. 3. Remove the perpetrator (into refuges if needed) from the home into intensive behaviour change program. Monitor and track the perpetrator. 4. Presumption of no contact for perpetrators with victims including children who are always victims in their own right until there is real and measured change. 5. Accountability for the perpetrator with victim’s needs and wishes central to the process. 6. Financial support to stay in our own home amongst our supports. 7. Legal support to fairly retain our own assets. Remove to family court post separation abuse pathway for perpetrators. 8. Trauma support for victim survivors to recover and heal. No less than this will suffice. This plan must be led by lived experience and co-designed and co-implemented with us. Fund us to end violence against women. Governments of all levels must fund this plan. Corporate and community groups must support this plan. Families and friends must suit this plan. I know victim survivors support this plan. It’s beyond time to treat women and children with the dignity we deserve! Sign the petition, share the petition. Create a similar petition in your part of the world. Tag an ally who supports this plan. #HowDareShe #VictimSurvivorVoice Australian Progressives Independent Collective of Survivors (ICOS) United Nations Australian Labor Party LNP - Liberal National Party The Australian Greens Simon Holmes à Court Edward Carroll Senator Larissa Waters Jess Lane Sonja Gerdsen Anthony Albanese Mark Dreyfus Katy Gallagher Micaela Cronin Shannon Fentiman Yvette D'ATH Jonty Bush Betty Taylor AM CF Brian Sullivan Lucy Gregory Jess Hill Lily F. Jane Matts Adelaide Miller Lara Anstie Sonia Naomi Smith

Domestic violence is a pervasive issue that affects individuals, families, and communities worldwide. Raising awareness about domestic violence is crucial in fostering understanding, support, and action to address this pressing societal challenge. #DomesticViolence #DomesticViolenceAwareness #DVAPRiverside https://lnkd.in/gksezgW3

In 2021, statistical data showed that the rate of family violence common assault in Ballarat was 24.2 per 10,000 persons, approximately 12% higher than Victoria with a rate of 21.5. In 2024, Family violence support services in Ballarat are fielding a sharp rise in requests for help, following the high-profile deaths of three local women this year. The deaths of Rebecca Young, Samantha Murphy and Hannah McGuire have seen the community grapple with collective grief. 💔On February 4, Samantha Murphy, 51, disappeared after going for a run. A 22-year-old local man has been charged with her murder. 💔 On February 16, mother of five Rebecca Young was found dead, the victim in a suspected murder-suicide. 💔 On April 5, the body of 23-year-old Hannah McGuire was found in a burnt-out car. Her ex-boyfriend has been charged with murder over her death. These murders have led to a heightened awareness of personal safety and led to many women changing their daily habits, or introducing new measures to increase their safety and minimise risk. For example; I now message my group-chat with my Dad & Step Mum everyday when I start my bush walk with my dog to let them know where I am, and then message them again to let them know when I have arrived home safely. In the past three months, there has been a "significant increase" in the number of calls to The Orange Door in Central Highlands seeking support due to family violence, according to the state government. As Ballarat is the town I live in, it gives me a sense of hope and optimism that my community has been selected to “be home to a world-leading ‘saturation model’, bringing together new and expanded programs, policies and services with a singular focus: to drive down the rates of family violence and men’s violence against women.” I like that the ‘saturation model’ is taking a whole-of-community approach, because ultimately that is the only way we are going to see any real change on this issue. https://lnkd.in/gjUrW57B

Every 11 minutes, a woman or girl is killed by an abusive partner or family member. Our client Saving Promise recently launched Only 11 Minutes — a national initiative that aims to educate 11 different sectors and grassroots communities about intimate partner violence and what healthy relationships look like. Learn more about Saving Promise’s work and how you can support the campaign in this article: https://lnkd.in/gRuMxKqT