Violence cont.... ( isnt it always)?

Here are 2 comments that a friend and I made about recent violence thoughts that we had: We exchanged these on facebook.

Me: "-I've got something to write on the blog but not to sure how to go about it.When both my kids were in town at Adelaide Fringe stuff on the weekend they each saw : Edd saw a guy get hit over a head with a bottle and then punched ( just outside the garden) - Ash was on the scene where the guy got stabbed.I want to write somethng about violence, alcohol, gatherings, media, event and our cultural support of this. BUT i also want to make it personal. About my experience as a dad and worring about my kids safety.Any ideas????"

Na: "...hmm I was so scared..I marched in the parade Friday noght..then tried to walk through rundle street with Emma...A and R....fucking scary..I saw a man holding his little baby above hishead..trying to get air....I have never seen adealide like that....Ja was there with friends too.....i was so worried..."

Okay! Whats going on with me. Am I responding to situations as a conservative? As I get older do I see things differently?( of course I do). But I have some questions:

Does a city council have responsibility to protect us from situations that can become violent? Do mass events with alcohol available freely contribute to violence? Is violence more prevalent than it used to be in Adelaide? Is it just more open? Does a police presence stop violence? Does it incite violence? Does our media enjoy violence? Is it just REPOTED more than it was??

Any comments gratefully accepted.

While we ( me) are talking about violence have you seen the new campaign from
Adults Surviving Sexual Abuse? I would be very very interested in your comments from thier campaign.

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Also here are some stats from australian institute of criminlogy:

Number of recorded crimes /Violent crime
Violent crime includes homicide, assault, sexual assault, robbery and kidnapping (sometimes referred to as abduction). Although robbery may include an element of property crime, it is included as a violent crime, as the use or threat of violence is a more serious offence.

Recorded crime
Between 1996 and 2003, the number of homicide victims • fluctuated between 332 and 386, before dropping below 300 in 2004 and 2005. In 2006, homicide rose above 300 again, to 319.
Continuing the trend of recent years,

robbery offences • increased in 2006.

The number of recorded kidnappings fluctuates yearly. • Over the period 1996–2004 kidnappings registered a general increase, but decreased between 2004 and 2006, from 768 to 725.

The trend in recorded sexual assaults showed a steady • increase over the period 1996–2004. A slight decrease in 2005 was followed by another increase in 2006.

Assaults continue to represent the majority of • recorded violent crimes. The overall trend since 1996 has been upward, with an increase of 50% between 1996 and 2006.


Lud

Population Media Centre

This (Population Media Centre) is a facinating site that uses 'entertainment-education for social change. PMC’s programs encourage positive behavior change among the audience.'

Here are 3 examples of thier programs:

1. In Ethiopia, 74% of women age 15-49 have been circumcised.
   The harmful practice of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (also known FGM/C or female circumcision) frequently causes health complications that can last throughout a woman's life and can even lead to death.
   To effectively address the issue of FGM/C, PMC developed and held seven Awareness Creation Workshops. These workshops were the first part of a comprehensive strategy to eradicate the practice of FGM/C in Ethiopia.



2. Violence against women and girls is a pervasive global problem, often deeply rooted in cultural practices. However, people are often willing to adopt new attitudes, behaviors, or practices if they are convinced that such change can improve their lives.
   PMC and the Emergent Media Center (EMC) at Champlain College have been awarded a grant from UNFPA to create an electronic game for adolescent boys aimed at preventing violence against women.



3. Population Media Center has received funding from USAID and UNFPA-Senegal for two radio serial dramas that will go on the air in 2008.
   The three-year project will focus on promoting family planning use and improving reproductive health.

While I was posting this blog the world population counter increased by 1472

Loves Me, Loves me Not

I just watched a brilliant dvd ( that SHine has in our library) it is called Loves Me, Loves Me Not.

This is an Australian documentary of a young girl (Angela Barker) who was a victim of relationship violence. In the documentary her friends, parents, neighbours and friends of the perpertrator are interviewed. Angela herself is unable to speak because of the injuries she suffered.

This would be great to use as preventative stuff with young women and men. BUT it is heart wrenching and brings tears to my eyes.

Birth control Sabotage

I found this American site today entitled KNOW MORE. Know more about coercion, abuse, & birth control sabotage, and the consequences for our health.

I had never thought about men using violence against women in the form of tricking them into becoming pregnant;

Carollee's Story>

Carollee started dating a 32-year-old man when she was 19. She noticed that whole rows of pills would disappear. When Carollee called her boyfriend on the disappearing birth control, he responded that he “knew” she wanted to have his child.

Jessica's Story>
He threatened me when I asked to use birth control, and always refused to use condoms after we became exclusive. When we decided to continue the pregnancy and marry, the overt abuse started within days of our wedding…

Is this form of violence prevalent in Oz?

What would the reasons behind such abuse be?

They have an online poster which can be downloaded

Does any one know of any good on-line resources relating to healthy relationships? It's a topic I'm keen to explore this year. I would really like to find some creative ways to explore how young men can positively engage in their relationships with females and other males - love, respect, initmacy.

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.

When Bodies Become War Zones

I have recently been reading Danielle Topins blog which is very interesting. Her latest entry about violence, poverty and the use of womens bodies as a target is very interesting. She writes about Jamaica BUT this is applicable anywhere. Here is the first paragraph of her entry around this issue.

"During a recent walk through a secluded road in my neighborhood, I came face to face with the discomfort of unwanted desire. I was in a zone: in my own world, feeling confident and self-assured. As I walked, however, I became aware that I was attracting male attention, and an interesting thing happened. The more attention I received, the more uncomfortable I became; and at some point I became aware that I had noticeably slowed the pace of my walk, and quieted the skip in my step. I was trying to make myself less visible, in order to detract the male attention I was receiving. I also became aware of a feeling of fear...fear that someone would seize me and try to forcefully kill my jauntiness. I felt fearful of being raped. "

This is an issue that all of us need to combat and denounce at all times. Does anyone have examples of working with young people around this issue that has been successful????

Lud

Violence against women is WRONG

Violence against women is in epidemic proportions in this country and many countries around the world. Here is an organisation that is doing something about it. www.whiteribbonday.org.au/

YOU CAN TO