ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust
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ISSUE #94 MAY 2021 Welcome teenager” in a headline about her controlled until no one else is there to rapist’s conviction. A report on a rape intervene or witness the abuse. Greetings friends! Hard to believe it’s trial was headlined with a claim from autumn already — and what a year it’s the defence lawyer about the victim Journalism has a responsibility here. been. being “flirty” at a party. The Good When the one constant in reporting on Guy trope was ubiquitous in reporting men’s violence against women was to We’ve seen mass protests around the on men who killed their wives and erase that moment of choice, victims country in support of gender equality; children. Tracey Connelly, killed in become responsible for inciting the politicians forced to confront the toxic 2013, was dehumanised to “St Kilda feeling and therefore the violence. culture festering within our national Prostitute” in every single headline That perception flows through the parliament; and we’ve heard strong about her murder. Women subjected community, into juries, parliaments, women like Brittany Higgins, Grace to domestic and family abuse were businesses and families. Flipping it, so Tame, and many others, stand up and “unfaithful” or “cheating wives” and the choice to use violence is the focus call out sexism where they see it. violent men, if they were mentioned and the cause of the problem changes at all, were “tradies”, “loving dads” how we think about men’s violence We are living in unusual times, that’s or “football stars’”. They were also and therefore what we do about it. for sure, but we need to collectively frequently defined by their emotions. harness the outrage and turn it into Jealous husbands, lovesick boyfriend, Until recently, I have only ever once real action. Are you with us? spurned lovers or even a “horny had one editor respond directly to my cabbie” (seriously) committed a litany work on media reporting of violence. A message to journalists of violence against the women in their At best, editors would hastily change writing about violence lives. online headlines that attracted a strong social media pushback. Mostly, JANE GILMORE Almost all of us have felt those they simply ignored it. I do, however, emotions so of course we relate to the frequently hear from the victims and I’ve been writing about the erasure feelings, but this empathetic coverage survivors, or their families. They would of men’s violence against women in erased the choice those men made tell me how often journalists distorted the media for over a decade now. I’ve to use violence. Because violence is their stories, what it felt like to see written articles, started the FixedIt always a choice. We may be at the news articles implying they deserved social media campaign, studied it mercy of others when it comes to how or caused what was done to them. university and written a book about it. we feel — rejection is rarely something They’d describe how eviscerating it So, I guess by now you could almost we choose — but in that moment was to be completely erased from call it an obsession. between feeling and action is a choice. a story about their own lives and Abusive men do not choose to walk trauma, while their abuser as excused When I first started, direct, explicit away, cry, talk or leave. They choose justified or even lauded. victim-blaming was common in news violence. It is not a loss of control, about men’s violence against women. because abusive men are almost Late last year the ABC made a strong A 14-year-old girl was called a “drunk never abusive in front of others, it is effort to change their reporting on TOP: Jane Gilmore, author of FixedIt: Violence and the Representation of Women in the Media Victorian Women’s Trust | @VicWomensTrust a. 9/313 La Trobe Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 1 p. (03) 9642 0422 f. (03) 9642 0016 e. women@vwt.org.au w. www.vwt.org.au
men’s violence against women. They Jane Gilmore was the founding editor The Trap’s host, Jess Hill is the author of did a lot of internal work on updating of The King’s Tribune. She has a Master celebrated book See What You Made Me editorial guidelines, improving resources of Journalism from the University of Do: Power, Control and Domestic Abuse, for reporting outside the crime and Melbourne and is now a freelance winner of the 2020 Stella Prize. Jess court reporting where men’s violence journalist and author, with a particular says, “This is the show I’ve dreamt of against women usually sat, and invested interest in feminism, media and data making: one that will take listeners deep in internal and external training for journalism. into the domestic abuse crisis raging newsrooms. (Declaration: Jess Hill and in our homes and across our systems. I were commissioned to do a small Jane is the creator of the FixedIt To truly change society, we need to portion of that training.) Two days of campaign, which highlights victim understand how abuse, coercion and empathy training won’t do much, but blaming and erasure of male violence control play out in private and public organisational change and education, from news headlines. Her book FixedIt: life, and how we can play a part in mandated from the top down over a Violence and the Representation of changing this: both in our systems, and long period of time, can make a huge Women in the Media was published by ourselves.” difference. The results at the ABC are Penguin Random House in August 2019. clear. In addition to their contribution Over ten episodes, Jess will interview on improving public understanding of � This piece was originally published in victim survivors and perpetrators of the complexity and range of abuse the Trust Journal, our blog. Republished domestic abuse, police officers, whistle enacted by violent men and the with permission. Read more VWT blowers, trauma specialists, counsellors, structural barriers to change in police, articles and guest blogs via: academics and historians. Through courts and parliaments, the ABC has www.vwt.org.au/blog their experiences she will unpack how also changed their daily reporting of the abuse starts, the many forms it news. From my perspective, the ABC If this topic raise any issues for you, can take, what coercive control looks � which used to feature far too often in please contact: like, and what victims face when they the FixedIt campaign, has rarely put a try to seek help. The podcast will also foot wrong since they did that work. 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732 explore how abusive behaviour, coercion Lifeline 13 11 14 and control are part of our daily lives, prevent harm to women and girls, and The first stop for any club is the Club in Melbourne. With funding from the This is the most obvious example that Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 and will wrestle with the questions relished challenging the conventional Respect website (www.clubrespect. Victorian Government and facilitated by I know of, but I can also see significant that confound us: Why does domestic beliefs and patriarchal values she saw org.au) a free and accessible platform Respect Australia and Mahana Culture, changes across many other news For more information, visit our list of abuse persist? Why do people become as detrimental to women’s safety and for everyone in sports clubs and the pilot program helped clubs establish publications. The biggest change I saw support services: abusive? And what can we do to prevent wellbeing. Bea founded WEL and co- community groups. The website holds a framework of respect. Working closely was after Peter Miles killed his wife, www.vwt.org.au/support-services it? founded the Victorian Council for Civil all of our knowledge and features our with Pasifika (Pacific) communities, Cyndia, his daughter, Katrina, and her Liberties (now Liberty Victoria). She was Panel of Expertise, a portal for anyone the pilot program provided education four children, Tay, Rylan, Arye and This project has been made possible a significant activist in the Abortion Law to ask a question of our 12 sports club around role modelling respect and Kayden in Margaret River. Miles and thanks to the support of the Phyllis Reform Association (ALRA). specialists. equality to help prevent family violence. was described by journalists as “loving Connor Memorial Trust of Equity Trustees grandfather” and a “good bloke”, Limited, Jo Baevski and a private donor. We believe Bea’s life and work should be For clubs wanting to draw a ‘line in Club Respect is now delivering a inciting a long overdue discussion about celebrated on the public record with a the sand’ of their club culture and workshop that takes the best elements this kind of reporting, which led to Preview episode available now! � readable, well-illustrated book. Young maintain an environment of respect, we from these past programs. It is available an entire segment on Media Watch. Listen and subscribe on your preferred Australian women need to know the now offer our signature Club Respect across the country to all codes, all clubs Since then, the good guy/loving father/ podcast app. feminist history of their foremothers, workshops. You can join the cohort and at any level. great bloke approach has pretty much and to understand the hard-fought of sports clubs, associations, leagues vanished from reporting on men who kill women and children. As it should. Putting Bea Faust’s feminist achievements which improved women’s and local councils who are making Feedback from workshop participants: lives. significant cultural changes at their legacy on the public record clubs that are creating safe, kind and fair ‘What a wonderful experience for our The day-to-day work of trying to make If you wish to make a contribution environments. club, as seasons come and go we hope � change can be a grind. I have to keep Former Women’s Electoral Lobby to the Bea Faust biography campaign, to continue to build respect for all reminding myself that real change takes (WEL) women, Rosalind Smallwood, please contact us on (03) 9642 0422 Club Respect Workshops into our culture’ time, not just weeks or months, but Iola Mathews, Lesley Vick, and Jocelyn years. Especially when what we are Mitchell, approached the Trust to cover Coming August 2021: Club Respect’s workshop content dates ‘The course offered enough practical trying to change is violence grounded in the expenses for a research biography The Trap podcast, hosted back to the early 2010’s with the Be and informative detail to allow our structures built on colonialism, sexism, biography of renowned feminist the Hero! Program. Facilitated by Paul club to improve our skills without racism, and deliberate erasure of by Jess Hill Beatrice (Bea) Faust AO (1939-2019). Zappa (co-founder, Club Respect), being overwhelmed. We now know vulnerable groups such as people with Emeritus Professor Judith Brett has the program was aimed primarily at where we need to focus for future disabilities and the LGBTIQ community. Our new podcast series, The Trap, agreed to write this biography, which boys and young men at high schools, improvements.’ The seismic moments can feel profound, written and hosted by leading Australian will be published by Text Publishing. utilising group activities, discussion and as we’ve seen in MeToo or even in investigative journalist and award- To bring this important project to life, a interactive web resources to promote ‘Thorough, welcoming, inclusive Canberra in the last month. But as I winning author, Jess Hill, and produced donation campaign has been developed respectful relationships. training. Gently presented, solid said earlier, feelings are not actions. by documentary-maker Georgina Savage cover Judith’s research expenses, such Melbourne Storm joined in the evidence base!’ Feelings are ephemeral. They can wash will be released on August 5. as copyright permissions, travel and program delivery, introducing their over the structures of violence and then accommodation, printing and stationery. own young players to participate, who Interested in a workshop presentation � recede, leaving nothing in their wake The Trap is a series about love, abuse Club Respect delivering then progressed to presenting to the at your club? Send an expression of but the status quo. Real change needs and power. Intimate, disturbing and It is expect that $12,000 will cover these students themselves. The connection interest to Tarik Bayrakli (manager, Club choice and action on the difficult work explosive, this series reveals how requirements and VWT is thrilled to be workshops around Australia with the Storm led to a similar program Respect): hello@clubrespect.org.au of dismantling the structures that enable domestic abuse and coercive control partnering with the women involved to being delivered to clubs affiliated with men’s violence, instead of tinkering impacts millions of Australians, and how assist with the fundraising goal. Club Respect is a national harm NRL Victoria from 2015-17. The success around the edges with advertising these same dynamics are perpetuated prevention initiative of the Dugdale of these programs led to the launch of RIGHT PAGE TOP: Launch of Club Respect at campaigns and press releases. We need by the systems – and people - that Bea Faust changed the lives of countless Trust for Women & Girls of which the Club Respect in 2018. AAMI Park Image Breeana Dunbar to do more than just hope that happens govern us. This ambitious series is an women for the better, with her ground- Victorian Women’s Trust is the Trustee. RIGHT PAGE BOTTOM LEFT: Brian Phelan, now. We need to demand it. And exact a exposé on how we become trapped: breaking work as a feminist, political Club Respect heralds a movement Since the launch, a pilot program Sophie Bliss and Peter Robinson Image price for failure. as victims, as perpetrators, and as a campaigner, writer, and academic. of local sports clubs that build and was delivered to rugby league clubs Breeana Dunbar society. She worked for reforms that would maintain a culture of respect. 2 3
Do you know an aspiring teen writer? We’re looking for teens to write for Rosie.org.au, our feminist youth website. It’s a paid opportunity and they can write a blog on any topic they like. If you know of a young person � who might be interested, please send this short survey their way: Meet Sanduni, our New Rosie Editor VWT News TOP LEFT: Sanduni Hewa Katupothage Image Breeana Dunbar TOP RIGHT: Headline from an article by Jewel Topsfield, published The Age on March 30 Welcome Sanduni Hewa Katupothage! Rosie is a harm prevention initiative of What was your favourite part of the time as if you exist in a vacuum – Have you signed up for goodbye to two staff members: Sophie needs were not being met. The results the Dugdale Trust for Women & Girls, your teen years? practically though, it is so difficult to Bliss and Esther-Davies Brown. showed that: and aims to keep teenagers informed Trustworthy, our weekly news • 83% of respondents that have love yourself when the world won’t stop about their rights and ways they can My teen years were full of pondering, pointing out everything that is wrong round up? Sophie has vacated her role as Rosie experienced menopause said their contribute to the feminist movement. reflection and trying to figure out who with you. editor to head off on a trip around work was negatively affected. I was. I had to, unfortunately, figure We see it as our duty to keep people Australia. Esther is looking forward to a • 73% stated stress and anxiety were Last month we said goodbye to editor of out what didn’t work for me to finally informed about important gender new career direction as well, taking skills higher. So I want to tell younger me that it’s not Rosie.org.au, Sophie Bliss. Since Sophie realise what did. Without that difficult equality news. However, as you may from her time at VWT into her new role • 57% said overall confidence took a that there’s anything wrong with you – hit. departed, star VWT volunteer Sanduni exploration, I wouldn’t be the person I recall, a few months ago Facebook at Headspace. We wish them both all the has been appointed to the role. We sat am today. My teen years were also full it’s just the world convincing you that • 45% said they considered retiring or chose to ban trusted news sources like best in their future adventures! down with Sanduni to discuss teenhood, of wonder – the best and worst kinds. there is. Unlearn all the BS the world the ABC, the Guardian Australia, SBS taking a break from work when their feminist media and the future of Rosie. I spent a lot of time on Tumblr and has taught you and why it benefits from News and more. In May, longstanding strategic menopausal symptoms were severe. YouTube, trying to find my people and your insecurity. Keep on following that communications manager Ally Oliver- So why don’t you start off by telling my place. That younger me has a very pure light within you that’s been there To ensure we are doing our part to Perham will be taking a break to go on One respondent commented that: us a little bit about yourself? special place in my heart. from the start – your gut, heart and soul share important news, we launched parental leave. At the time of printing, “My employer couldn’t care less. In know what is up. Be you. Trustworthy, a free weekly email round we are in the middle of the recruiting fact, I felt I had to keep it secret as Sure, my name is Sanduni and I really What are your favourite feminist up of feminist news. Sending every a strategic communications manager menopausal women are regarded as relate to that Lisa Simpson quote: “I am media recommendations? What do you think you are going to Friday, this brief email sums up the and communications officer. We look slightly dumb and can’t be trusted to interested in music, science, justice, biggest gender equality stories of the forward to introducing you to our work effectively.” bring to Rosie? animals, shapes and feelings.” If I were My favourite TV show is Pose! I also week and delivers them straight to your newest team members very soon. to add anything to that list it would watched She-Ra with my sister last inbox. Circle In has compiled guidelines for Hopefully a lot of life, love and include film, space, public transport, year and loved it – super diverse and employers seeking to drive change in love and nature. I spend a lot of my queer. Ackley Bridge is incredible too abundance – what I try to bring to Collaboration with Circle In their own organisations, including advice While Facebook has since reversed their time dancing in my room, daydreaming – also one of my lockdown faves. A lot everything I can. I want to be able to decision on sharing news within the on menopause research on raising awareness, better equipping and trying to figure out if everything of my favourite feminist songs are in have more discussions about mental platform, we think it is wise to continue managers, and creating a framework for has meaning or if nothing has meaning an article I wrote last year and most of health, body image, race, class, to maintain communications outside of Nearly one in two working women flexibility. (and if it matters at all). As you can tell, them still stand. Some of my favourite sexuality, gender, ableism, and all of a multi-billion dollar corporation with experiencing menopause consider my brain is still recovering from the people to follow on Instagram are: @ their intersections. I want to carry vested interests. Just in case. retiring or taking a break from This research was also picked up by fogginess of being in lockdown, but I thefatsextherapist, @ihartericka, the energy of teenage girls, QTBIPOC, work, as revealed in a new research journalist Jewel Topsfield in an insightful think we all are. @bobo.matjila and @soju_gang. Sign up to Trustworthy, our free email piece by Circle In, with the support of piece, ‘It was traumatic’: The workplace � frogs, quokkas and the cosmos with me and through my work. I want this newsletter: www.bit.ly/trustworthyVWT VWT. taboo causing women to suffer in silence, I started volunteering at the Victorian What advice would you give to your published in The Age on March 30. space to continue being a safe space for Women’s Trust (Rosie’s parent teenage self? Circle In is a global employee experience organisation) almost three years ago everyone, no matter who they are. I’m Changes to the Trust team platform that helps organisations to Read the full report, Driving the � so excited! because I wanted an outlet to push out As a teenager, I was so lost, super maintain connections with parents and Change: Menopause and the Workplace: all my raging feminist energy. During depressed and lonely. I didn’t really We’ve been fortunate at the Victorian caregivers on their team. www.bit.ly/circleinVWT my time here I have grown from a baby have any positive relationships in my Women’s Trust to retain talented and feminist into a rad revolutionary (lol) life, and the worst of them all was the capable team members over the course More than 700 people responded to the Check out Jewel Topsfield’s article on � and I cannot wait to see how Rosie and I relationship I had with myself. You hear To find out more about Rosie, visit: of many years. But like everything in life, survey, revealing glaring statistics and this important workplace issue: � grow together. people telling you to ‘love yourself’ all www.rosie.org.au things do change, and we recently said an entire cohort of the workers whose www.bit.ly/theageVWT 4 5
TOP LEFT: Screenshot of Love, Power & Control webinar with Jess Hill, featuring (top row from left) Dr Manjula O’Connor, Prof Heather Douglas, Paul VWT Events McGorrery, (bottom row from left) Tania Farha, Jess Hill, and Christine Robinson. TOP RIGHT: Mary Crooks AO, Christina Hobbs, Rana Hussain, and Prof Fiona Stanley AC; and cover of Kate Ellis’ book, Sex, Lies & Question Time. Catch up on all our recent events Love, Power & Control with Unlike current conceptualisations of public movement for the introduction Thrive by Five x VWT Town country. As mentioned by Christina her wry, candid and provocative portrait domestic violence in Australian law, of coercive control offences across Hobbs, an article by The Australian of her time in Parliament. Jess Hill, Two Part Webinar Australia. However, despite this traction Hall panel: Can gender coercive control is not characterised Institute showed that for every million Series as individualised incidents of physical in the legal reform space, some within equality be achieved without dollars spent on education and Sex, Lies and Question Time is a violence, but rather recognises the domestic violence sector have reforming early childhood childcare, 10.6 direct jobs would be On 11 and 18 February 2021, VWT a broader range of behaviours reservations about the ability of these created for women and 4.3 direct jobs powerful call to demand more of our education? screened Love, Power and Control, a that operate pervasively within a proposed laws to protect victim- would be created for men. Despite the leaders and our institutions. It reminds two-part webinar series on the potential relationship. As described by webinar survivors and are concerned about their clear social and economic benefits of us we need greater diversity to shape a On Thursday 18 March, Mary Crooks AO of coercive control law reform in panellist Pragna Patel, coercive control potential impact on different cultural an improved child care structures (all fairer Australia, where ‘women’s issues’ (executive director, VWT) moderated Australia. The series was moderated by is “a continuum [of] multiple and groups. The understandable mistrust a virtual town hall event on early well established and evidenced) the are everyone’s issues. Jess Hill, journalist and author of Stella overlapping forms of abuse”. of the criminal justice system among education and childcare reform, hosted Australian government is lacking the Prize winning book, See What You Made Indigenous communities may present by the Victorian Women’s Trust in political will. Sex, Lies and Question Time by Kate � Me Do: Power, Control and Domestic The UK perspective: how has law reform a large obstacle in combating coercive partnership with Thrive by Five. Together Abuse. impacted the lives of victim-survivors? control through legislative reform. with panellists Prof Fiona Stanley AC “If there is not room in the room where Ellis is available now in all good book (child and public health researcher); these decisions are being made ... if shops. Over the two webinars, Jess was joined Coercive control in an intimate or Instances of coercive control interfere Christina Hobbs (co-founder & CEO, we’re not willing to do that, then we by a number of experts from the UK and family relationship was criminalised in with numerous aspects of a victim- Verve Super); and Rana Hussain need some really robust fact finding survivor’s life, like visas, housing, Smashing the taboo of Australia who work on the frontlines of England and Wales in 2015, and Scotland (diversity and inclusion consultant); they in communities. We need to go out the domestic violence and law reform introduced a similar offence in 2019. financial support, childcare, and the discussed how we can move towards a to communities, go to them, have menopause in the workplace sectors. Part One of the series focused need to access legal support. For cheaper, more accessible, equitable and conversations with them and speak to on viewpoints from the UK, where Members of the webinar panel vulnerable individuals, all needs should higher quality early childhood learning them in the way they speak about these VWT joined forces with Circle In and the coercive control has been criminalised suggested that it is still too early to be accounted for when creating a system in Australia. issues … bring people and different Chalice Foundation on Thursday 8 April for several years. Part Two switched know the total impact that these laws sustainable framework for combating perspectives to the table and do it coercive control in Australia. to discuss menopause in the workplace. perspectives and considered what have had on victim-survivors, although “At the age of 75, I am still lobbying collectively.” – Rana Hussain criminalising coercive control might look there was resounding agreement for universal, freely accessible early In this live streamed event, Mary Crooks If this topic raise any issues for you, AO (executive director, VWT) and Jane � like in the Australian context. that the laws had led to a greater childhood services as the best Watch the webinar and read the � awareness of coercive control within the please contact: intervention, the best investment that transcript: www.bit.ly/ThriveVWT Bennett (managing director, Chalice What is coercive control? community. any nation can do for the future of its Foundation) and moderator Jodi 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732 economic and sustainable activities.” – Celebrating the launch of Rosenthal (general manager, Circle In) Coercive control is a pattern of What would coercive control legislation Lifeline 13 11 14 Fiona Stanley Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 Kate Ellis’ new book Sex, Lies spoke in depth about the menopausal dominating behaviour within a look like in Australia? relationship that intends to undermine “The pandemic exposed some really & Question Time experience and its impact, the support someone’s sense of autonomy and No Australian state or territory has For more information, visit our list of good sides to this country, but it women are getting/not getting vs independence by isolating them from comprehensively criminalised coercive support services: exposed some real weaknesses. And one We were thrilled to partner with the what they need, some quick wins for support networks, exploiting them, and control. Following the killings of www.vwt.org.au/support-services/ of them is our childcare system.” – Mary Readings Foundation on Tuesday 6 April employers, and how to foster a culture regulating their everyday behaviour. It Queensland woman Hannah Clarke Crooks to support the launch of former MP Kate Watch both webinars: Ellis’ new book, Sex, Lies and Question of openness. � can include emotional abuse, threats, and her three children in 2020, and intimidation, sexual coercion, financial NSW dentist Dr Preethi Reddy in www.bit.ly/LPCWebinarVWT The conversation urged the government Time. Mary Crooks AO (executive Catch up on the live stream: � abuse and cyberstalking. 2019, there has been a widespread to take action and invest in better early director, VWT) moderated a virtual in childhood learning mechanisms in this conversation with Kate Ellis, discussing www.bit.ly/smashthetaboo 6 7
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