1800RESPECT

Many people may be aware of the



If you haven't had a look at their website I suggest you go HERE and do a short exploration. Lots of information and tips for what YOU can do NOW.

Some of my thoughts.

As a person who works in Sexual Health and is a sexologist I want to share a few things with you.

 1. I don't find it funny when people joke about my work such as " (smutty laugh) So... do you teach practical" This is offensive and indicates the persons ignorance of the range of relationships and sexual health education that is often more important than 'sex' itself.

 2. I sometimes get discouraged when I continue to hear stories of sexual violence and sexual abuse perpetrated by men. Yet.... it is this continuous bombardment of stories that also motivate me to get out there and do something about it. If you are a man and want to do something to stop mens violence DO SOMETHING. A good way to start is joining in on this years 'White Ribbon Day' activities. Go here to see what is happening near you.

3. Young people that are struggling, young people that live on the streets, young people that live every day under conditions that many in our society BLAME them for ARE HERO'S. Anybody that can survive, and learn to thrive; anybody that can survive - and then suddenly can't; any young person that lives today under stressors and pressures that I can't really get a hold on - Are hero's and should be treated as such.

4. You can't tell by looking at someone if they are gay - and WHO CARES?? Stop joining in the culture of homophobia. You don't need to say 'my gay' friends. If they are your friends then that is enough of a discriptor.

5. Condoms are the best protection against STIs. But..... people often say they dont like them or want to use them. So why isn't there a better substitute. ( Don't ask me what it is - I'm just writing thoughts).

6. I once heard a speaker talk about ways to lessen the incidence of youth violence, youth suicide, youth anti social activities. This guy said " If each adult in this town learned the name of 6 young people ( outside of thier family) and spoke to these young people by name every time they saw them then the incidence of antisocial behaviour would decline. This would work better than any programme ( anti bullying, anger management, etcetc).Do you know the names of 6 young people that you see about  your neighbourhood?
 Do you say high to them? Engage with them.


7. Being sex positive is better than being sex negative.

Gendered Violence

A quote that I like from Donna Macnamara (1986)

"Sexual violence is not an isolated event that happens to a few random individuals in a random unpredictable way. It is a logical extension of a firmly entrenched misogynist world view, either willingly adopted or imposed upon millions of people over thousands of years."

Did you know that:

• Rape is now considered a weapon of war.
• Rome was founded on the rape of Sabine women
• During the sack of Troy, women were raped by the victors
• In 1453, when Constantinople fell the women were raped by the Ottoman troops
• In 1864 at the Sand Creek massacre in the USA the women were raped and sexually mutilated by the white troops
• In 1937 when Nanking fell to Japanese troops the women of the city were raped
• In the Vietnam war ( Vietnamese call this the American war) there are many documented cases of Vietnamese women being raped by the western troops
• From conflicts in Bosnia to Peru to Rwanda girls and women have been singled out for rape
• Rape has been documented in all rescent armed conflicts including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cyprus, Haiti, Liberia, SOmalia, Uganda, Iraq and Afganistan

The rape of women is so prevelent in conflict areas that the UN security council created the senior post on 'Women in armed conflict' in 2009 with specific mandate to address sexual violence.

COME ON MEN: STAND UP: SAY NO TO VIOLENCE

Conceptualising the prevention of sexual assault and the role of education

Below I have printed some of the conclusion that is in the paper 'Conceptualising the prevention of sexual assault and the role of education .' It is timely and makes great reading. Go here to download the whole paper

"Sexual assault prevention has undergone significant conceptual shifts since the 1970s. This has been reflected in all forms of prevention activity but is also evident in sexual assault prevention education. At this point in time there is still much to be done to ensure our tertiary responses to victims of sexual assault are supportive, effective, timely and flexible to the diverse needs of different population groups who experience sexual assault. We also need to continue to work more effectively to hold perpetrators of sexual violence accountable. Our current understandings recognise the need for multi-sectoral and diverse responses if we are to move more closely to preventing sexual violence. Prevention education is one crucial strategy in government and community responses to sexual violence. If we are to achieve the cultural shift in communities that promote non-violence and deplore the use of violence between intimate partners, we face many challenges. To respond to these challenges we need to interrogate prevention education rigorously and to develop effective policy to guide its future implementation."

The paper Conceptualising the prevention of sexual assault and the role of education was written by Moira Carmody
in the Issues No. 10 2009
Published by the Australian Institute of Family Studies.ISBN 978-1-921414-16-9, ISSN 1833-7864 (online), ISSN 1833-7856 (print)

Moira Carmody is an Associate Professor, Social Justice and Social Change Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney.

Opposing Sexual Violence Forum

I hope to see you there.

Women’s Health Statewide
Monthly Friday Forum

Opposing Sexual Violence
- legislation and prevention

Join Dr. Mary Heath (Law School, Flinders University) for an insight into recent changes to South Australian law in relation to sexual violence. She will discuss both the significance of these changes and evidence of their likely future impact. Dr Heath will also share some of her current thinking in relation to a preventative approach to sexual violence.
In addition to her academic work, Dr Heath is a well-known community activist and a wonderful singer.

When: 3pm – 5pm, Friday 28th August, 2009

Where: Women’s Health Statewide
64 Pennington Terrace,
North Adelaide

Cost: Free
Light refreshments will be provided

Bookings are essential as seating is limited.
RSVP to 08 8239 9600 by 21st August 2009.

Violence against women in Australia

Violence Against Women: Australian Facts and Figures

Compiled by Michael Flood, August 2006.

Overview: Anywhere from 40 - 57% of women will experience physical or sexual violence by a man at some point in their lives, a nationally representative survey have found. In the last year, between five and ten per cent of Australian women experienced at least one incident of physical and/or sexual violence by a man.

The DataAustralia has had three national surveys on the incidence of violence against women: a 1996 survey by the ABS, a survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology in 2004, and a third by the ABS in 2006. The results of the two most recent surveys are summarised below.
ABS national survey (2006)

In the last 12 months:
One in 20 women (5.8%), or over 440,000 women, were the victims of violence in the last year. 4.7% (363,000 women) experienced physical violence (including physical assault, attempted assault, or the threat of assault).

1.6% (126,100 women) experienced sexual violence (including sexual assault,attempted assault, or the threat of assault).

Violence during a lifetime:
Over one-third (39.9%) of Australian women report experiencing at least one incident of physical violence or sexual violence since the age of 15.
Since the age of 15, an estimated 3,065,800 women had experienced violence. 29% of all women (2,243,600 women) had experienced physical assault, and 17% (1,293,100) had experienced sexual assault.

SOURCE: A national survey of 16,500 Australian adults (18 and over).PUBLICATION: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2006) Personal Safety Survey Australia. Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics (Cat. 4906.0).
AIC national survey (2004)

In the past 12 months:

10% of Australian women reported experiencing at least one incident of physical and/or sexual violence by a man. They were more likely to report physical violence (8%) than sexual violence (4%). (This could include violence by male partners or ex-partners, male friends and acquaintances, work colleagues, and strangers).
Violence during a lifetime:
Nearly two-thirds (57%) of Australian women report experiencing at least one incident of physical violence or sexual violence by a man over their lifetime. Just under half (48%) have experienced physical violence, and one-third (34%) have experienced sexual violence.
Over a third of women (34%) who have ever had a boyfriend or husband report experiencing at least one form of violence during their lifetime from an intimate male partner. About half have experienced physical violence and a third have experienced sexual violence.

SOURCE: A national survey of 6,677 women aged 18-69.PUBLICATION: Mouzos, J., and T. Makkai (2004) Women’s Experiences ofMale Violence: Findings from the Australian Component of the International Violence Against Women Survey (IVAWS). Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, Research and Public Policy Series, No. 56.

Reclaim the Night

Here is a brief modified copy of this years reclaim the night pdf poster that was sent to me.

LET’S ALL BE SAFE AS HOUSES

CALLING all mothers, daughters, sisters and aunties -
join us in acknowledging 30 YEARS OF ACTION IN RECLAIMING SAFETY for women in their home and community. Don’t miss the PARTY! Come and
celebrate with a fun night of dj’s, music, food and drink.
MORE INFO: Women’s Electoral Lobby [WEL]
call Jo 0423 783 252 / Marg 0406 488 730
or email welinc.sa@gmail.com

7pm til 11.30pm -Friday Oct 31st 2008

Yungondi Courtyard - Lion Arts Centre Cnr North Tce and Morphett St

AND for all the men out there: Support your sisters,mothers,daughters and friends to RECLAIM the NIGHT. Almost ALL violence against women -in ALL parts of the world-is perpetrated by men.