MEDIA RELEASE

Round Table on Preventing Violence against Women

Statement from the Australian Capital Territory
Ministerial Advisory Council on Women.

7 February 2007

Hilary Russell, Chair of the Ministerial Council on Women described the Round Table on what more the ACT might do to reduce the incidence of violence against women.

Participants included

• Audrey Fagan -Chief Police Officer
• Rosemary Budavari - The Women’s Legal Centre
• Denise Simpson - Domestic Violence Council
• Veronica Wensing- Canberra Rape Crisis Centre
• Sandra Lambert – CEO Disability Housing and Community Services
• Katie Firster, Chair, Domestic Violence Prevention Council

Hilary said, “We looked at the pattern of violence against women in the ACT, the events that appear to support or encourage a culture of violence against women as well as the results of the Victorian Health Promotion Research results – “Two Steps Forward, One step back - community attitudes to violence against women.”

Hilary explained, “The survey was of 2,800 surveyed including indigenous and CALD communities (Victoria only)

Compared with the 1995 Office of the Status of Women Survey – provides a benchmark on attitudes and how they have changed.”

The Survey found:

• 1 in 6 people agreed that in relation to sex, women often say no when they mean yes
• 6% of those surveyed found women who are raped ask for it.

Hilary commented “The Round Table noted research indicates an association between violence supportive attitudes and beliefs regarding gender relations and equality. That is - those with a traditional view of women’s place in the world are more likely to hold violence supportive attitudes.”

Factors with the potential to inhibit violence supportive attitudes include:

• Media portrayal of women
• The cultural norms of the community regarding gender equality
• Neighborhood culture
• Campaigns and social movements.

Hilary summarized the findings of the Round Table:

• Calls to the Domestic Violence Crisis Service have increased from 6200 in 2002 to close to 8000 in 2005
• Calls and counseling requests to the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre have increased by 75% in the last 6 months and there is up to a 6 week waiting period for counseling.
• There are still strongly held beliefs that women and women experience violence against then in equal rates and that women make accusations of domestic violence in order to ensure access to children in family court disputes
• 20% of all queries to the Women’s Legal Service involve domestic violence
• There is a need for improved continuing education of judges and lawyers on issues of violence against women
• There is under reporting by women from non English Speaking backgrounds and a real reluctance in these communities to report.

“The Round Table noted the research that indicates an association between violence supportive attitudes and beliefs regarding gender relations and equality – Those with a traditional view of women’s place in the world are more likely to hold violence supportive attitudes, “Hilary said.

“We also noted that settings that facilitate violence supportive attitudes to women include masculine contexts such as sporting events and night clubs. Both are important parts of the Canberra culture, community and economy, but everyone attending these events needs to be safe.”

“We want to see if we can work in partnership with the owners and organizers of venues and sporting events to promote healthy and positive attitudes to women amongst male patrons and supporters. We believe this will result in more people feeling safe to attend such events and this can only be good for business and our economy.”

“We want to learn from the initiatives in Victoria where you have seen the AFL take a lead on promoting positive views of women and promoting male footballers as advocates on positive attitudes to women and to violence inhibiting behaviours. “ Hilary concluded