whw news

Edition 3 2016

PHOTO: Jason Cranage

The DONS (Dads

of Newport)
members and
supporters taking
the 16 Days
Activist Challenge

Taking action to prevent violence

against women
Christine Crosby, Communications Manager

Taking action to prevent mens violence against women is all of our responsibility. For the second year,
Womens Health West will run the 16 Days Activist Challenge to get more people involved in the movement
to prevent mens violence against women.

he 16 Days Activist Challenge

supports people in our community
to learn more about mens violence
against women, enables participants
to educate others about the problem,
and challenge gender inequity.

during the 16 days of activism. The 16

Days Activist Challenge provides you
with a list of actions that you can choose
from or you can even add your own.

All you need to do as a 16 Days Activist

is to pledge to undertake one or more
of the actions to promote gender equity
and prevent violence against women

In 2015 Womens Health West, in

partnership with the Preventing Violence
Together (PVT) member organisations,
ran our first 16 Days Activist Challenge.
The Challenge ran during the annual 16
Days of Activism, a global gender-based

Talking womens health with

SacredSistas
page 6

Take on the 16 Days Activist

Challenge
page 10

violence awareness campaign that starts

on the 25 November, the International
Day of Elimination of Violence against
Women, and ends on the 10 December,
which marks Human Rights Day.
The goal of the 2015 challenge was
to involve PVT partner organisations
Continued on page 10

Funding supports a safe and stable life

for women
page 14

womens health west equity and justice for women in the west

Preventing violence against women

before it occurs - together

About Womens
Health West

Christine Crosby, Communications Manager

omens Health West is one of

Victorias only organisations that
provide services and programs
that encompass every level of response
from primary prevention of family
violence to early intervention and
family violence crisis response.

ction on primary
prevention
continues to build
in Victoria, particularly
with the release of
the Royal Commission
into Family Violence
report. Recently
the Minister for Family Violence
Prevention, the Hon Fiona Richardson
announced an allocation of a further
$1 million to support womens health
services to continue their work to
prevent violence against women
and children before it occurs.
The Victorian Government has
worked in partnership with Victorias
womens health services on primary
prevention action since 2013. The
announcement recognises the
expertise and significant role womens
health services play in leading primary
prevention activity across Victoria at
both a regional and statewide level.
For the past six years, we have led
the design, implementation and
delivery of Preventing Violence
Together (PVT), a western region
partnership and action plan to
prevent mens violence against
women before it occurs.
PVT is underpinned by a strong
partnership approach and has
involved 18 western region
organisations working together on
primary prevention initiatives that
inform joint regional initiatives, their
workplace gender equity policies
and procedures, and an array of
other activities that impact the

working lives of more than 10,000

employees in Melbournes west.
PVT, as Victorias first regional
partnership and action plan to
prevent mens violence against
women, has informed other
regional action plans implemented
across the state. PVT has coincided
with more recent Australia-wide
progress on primary prevention.
In 2013, the first National Plan to
Reduce Violence against Women
and their Children 2010-2020 was
developed. In 2015, Our Watch,
ANROWS and the Victorian Health
Promotion Foundation (VicHealth)
launched Change the Story: A shared
framework for the primary prevention
of violence against women and
their children in Australia. Further
significant developments include
the appointment of the Hon
Fiona Richardson MP as Victorias
Minister for the Prevention of Family
Violence, a first for any Australian
ministerial portfolio. Consultations
also commenced in Victoria for the
states first Gender Equality Strategy,
and Rosie Batty, a family violence
advocate and survivor, was named
as Australian of the Year in 2015.
Womens Health Wests welcomes
the growing momentum and focus
on primary prevention. We call for
further government action to ensure
that specialist womens health services
are funded to lead coordinated
primary prevention initiatives that
are required to increase gender
equity and prevent mens violence
against women before it occurs.

Since 1988, our work has actively

contributed to improving the health,
safety and wellbeing of women and their
children in the western metropolitan
region of Melbourne, which
encompasses the local government areas
of Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong,
Melbourne, Melton, Moonee Valley and
Wyndham. We work in the areas of:

Prevention

Prevention of mens violence

against women

Promoting sexual and

reproductive health

Promoting mental health

and wellbeing

Intervention

24 hour crisis response

Risk assessments
Housing and refuge support

Response

Case management
Womens and childrens counselling
Outreach and court support

Connect with
WomensHealthWest
Facebook
www.facebook.com/
womenshealthwest
Twitter
www.twitter.com/whwest
LinkedIn

ISSN # 1834-7096
Editors: Gert Geyer, Elly Taylor and Christine Crosby
Contributors to this edition: Alyce Vella, Bree, Christine Crosby, Colleen Ivory, Debra Wannan, Gert
Geyer, Jason Cranage, Jenny*, Jess, Helen, Kirsten Campbell, Maria, Ngahina Waretini, Robyn Gregory,
Stephanie Rich, Susan Timmins, Zoe S
*Name changed
Photographers: Alyce Vella, Jason Cranage, Christine Crosby, Gert Geyer, Nadine, Sally Camilleri,
Scout Kozakiewicz
Illustrations: Isis and Pluto
Design and layout: Susan Miller, millervision@netspace.net.au
Read this edition and archives of whwnews online at www.whwest.org.au/news/newsletter/
Edition 1 2017 deadline: February 2017

whwnews edition 3 2016

Instagram
www.instagram.com/
womens_health_west

Womens Health West acknowledge the

Traditional Custodians of the land on which
we work, the people of the Kulin Nation, and
we pay our respects to Elders and community
members past and present. We express solidarity
with the ongoing struggle for land rights, selfdetermination, sovereignty and the recognition
of past injustices. We express our hope for
reconciliation and justice.

Photo: Christine Crosby

Behind
the
scenes
Braybrook reconciliation picture

Womens Health Wests

Board of Directors

Reconciliation at Womens Health West

Emma Weaver, Health Promotion Policy Coordinator

Womens Health West is committed to supporting all women and

children living in Melbourne west, including Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander women and children, to live healthy and safe lives. To
formalise this commitment, our first ever Reconciliation Action Plan has
received conditional endorsement by Reconciliation Australia.

Reconciliation Action Plan

(RAP) is a document that clearly
outlines how an organisation
will contribute to reconciliation for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples in Australia. It includes a set
of measurable actions to demonstrate
Womens Health Wests commitment
to embed reconciliation actions
throughout our organisations practice.
We began our RAP journey in late 2014
by developing a foundational plan. This
early work included conducting a cultural
audit of our organisation, and publicly
recognising the Traditional Custodians
of the land on which we work within
all our publications, on our website,
and at our meetings and events. We
also made our building more culturally
safe and welcoming to Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander clients and visitors.
We contracted Aboriginal women to
deliver cultural training to all staff,
attended local community events and
partnership meetings, hosted a Sorry Day
morning tea and documented Womens
Health Wests vision for reconciliation.
From August 2015 we began the process
of developing our Reconciliation Action
Plan. Our work has been guided by
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Community Controlled Organisations
and partners including Wurundjeri
Council, VACCHO, Djerriwarrh Health
Services, the Victorian Aboriginal
Heritage Council, the Aboriginal
Community Development Broker in the
Department of Premier and Cabinet,

the Aboriginal Health Unit at Western

Health, the Victorian Aboriginal Health
Service, Reconciliation Australia, as well
as many Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Elders and community members.
This work has also been championed
by an internal RAP working group,
made up of staff of various positions
and programs throughout Womens
Health West. The group will receive
cultural guidance and support from
a newly appointed expert Aboriginal
Womens Advisory Committee.
As part of our commitment to
Reconciliation, we have also appointed
a health promotion worker to develop
and deliver sexual and reproductive
health promotion programs specifically
for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander women and young people
in the west. We also welcomed
VACCHO staff to our organisation who
delivered cross-cultural training to all
Womens Health Wests employees.
In the coming year we will launch our
RAP with the valued support of our
advisory committee and other partners
from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities. We also look forward to
strengthening our relationships with
community, increasing the cultural
safety of our services and programs for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
women and children, and providing
increased opportunities for Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander women to
work at Womens Health West.

Leharna Black, MBA, GAICD,

BBus (Marketing), Assoc Dip
(Accounting)
Managing Director, Whoosh
Consulting

Womens Health West is pleased

to welcome Leharna Black to our
board. Leharna has held previous
board directorships with Centre
for Education and Research into
Environmental Sustainability, and
Tweddle Child and Family Health
Service, and was Chair of the
Womens Circus for nine years.
She has joined the board of
Womens Health West to continue
her commitment to working with
organisations that respond to the
needs of women and children.
Leharna lives and works in
Melbournes inner west and
has an understanding of the
complex and diverse needs of
communities in our region.
In addition to her previous board
experience, Leharna brings her
expertise as a qualified accountant
and experience in business
management. She also has a
degree in marketing and a Masters
in Business Administration.
In her spare time she enjoys
travelling and scuba diving. She
also loves the gastronomical
delights of the amazing caf and
restaurant scene in Melbourne,
particularly Melbournes west.

whwnews edition 3 2016

Behind the scenes

Meet the staff

Julie Blatherwick
Director Business Operations.

I love good business. Wherever I work I

constantly ask myself how do we next
improve our service to clients, how can
we make the working lives of our staff
even better and how can technology
help us? Coupling this with my long
standing passion for social justice and
equity, means I have found the ideal
role here at Womens Health West.
My background is predominantly in
vocational education but I am welcoming
this opportunity to experience a new
sector. When Im not at work, I dabble
with writing, pretend to be a big kid
with my son, or head to my favourite
spot up on the Murray River.

Melbournes north east. I am extremely

excited to join Womens Health West.
The organisations feminist values
closely align with my own. I am a busy
mother of two beautiful children Mia
and Luca who never cease to make me
smile and keep me grounded. Im also
a proud resident of the west and enjoy
the diverse lifestyle it has to offer!

Eloise
Team Leader, Housing

I have come to Womens Health West

following a career as a public servant
within Child Protection and Corrections
Victoria Services. I have also worked
within the non-government sector and
I am really enjoying the opportunity to
return to the sector and support the
delivery of services that provide real
benefit to the community. Throughout
my social work career I have worked
with women and children who are the
most disadvantaged in our society,
and I look forward to continuing this
contribution within Womens Health
West. When Im not a work, I particularly
love growing vegetables and turning
them into delicious vegetarian dishes.
Another passion of mine is caring for
my two dogs, Pedro and Luna, who
have encouraged me over the years to
venture into parks and explore nature.

Patrizia Favorito
Director Family Violence
Integrated Services

I grew up in Sydneys west raised

by two Italian born parents who
immigrated to Australia seeking a better
life. Witnessing struggle first hand, I
studied social work and social policy.
This background drives my passion for
social justice and leading programs
that support vulnerable members of
the community, including women and
children affected by family violence. I
have been fortunate to have a varied
career working over two decades across
a number of government and nongovernment organisations, with my very
first role as a family caseworker working
with vulnerable families in Sydneys west,
to most recently managing a number
of child and family service programs in

whwnews edition 3 2016

Colleen Ivory
Team Leader, Action for Equity Sexual and Reproductive Health

I have worked in community

development within non-profit
organisations, womens health and
established a womens centre focused
on sexual and reproductive rights. I
have also worked in management in
the regional public health promotion
service in Auckland, New Zealand. I

visited Melbourne reluctantly after my

partner was seconded here and applied
for a management role with the Royal
Womens Hospital. Once appointed I
came over, promising family and friends
it would be for only two years. That
was thirteen years ago. I have worked
at Family Planning Victoria for just
under 25 years with a focus on samesex-attracted young people, and as a
consultant. I am now delighted to have
the opportunity to work at Womens
Health West, an organisation committed
to social change and equity in sexual
health. My outside work interests are
music, singing, gardening, movies
and other social justice pursuits.

Chanel Elliott
Team Leader, Administration and
Quality

My previous work experience was in

the corporate sector. I have worked
in operations and quality assurance in
health sector insurance, enforcement
management and utilities and sales.
My key objective in all organisations I
work in, is to enhance and achieve a
high level of customer service and drive
staff engagement within the quality
space. Working in the corporate sector
I was exposed to inequity, including
discrimination due to sex and sexual
orientation and the power divide
between men and women in the
workplace. Knowing that Womens
Health West is an organisation that
supports women in the community
and has strong feminist values, is why
I want to work here. In my spare time I
like listening to contemporary country
music, playing cricket and going to local
markets to find those hidden treasures.

Bree

Family and Reproductive Rights Project

(FARREP). I will be able to draw on a
lot of my experience and knowledge
working with the African community. In
my free time you can find me unwinding
watching Netflix and spending quality
time with my nieces and nephew.

Team Leader, Childrens

Counselling

I love working with women and

children, so coming to work at Womens
Health West seemed a natural fit and
the perfect opportunity for me. I am
excited to be working as part of the
Childrens Counselling team and to
work on many exciting projects and
services. Prior to Womens Health West,
I have worked in the out-of-home care
and family welfare sectors, which gave
me experience working with women,
children and their families. This work
provided me with a better understanding
of the challenges and struggles women
are often faced with. I enjoy spending
time with my family and friends, I like
to read, and I enjoy following sports. I
am a really big fan of the tennis players
Roger Federer and Serena Williams.

Diane Di Stefano
Administration Assistant

I joined Womens Health West because

I am passionate about women and
childrens wellbeing. I believe that
every woman and child deserves to
be safe. I bring to my new role a
strong background in administration,
particularly with non-government
organisations. My previous roles were
as a Disability Support Worker and
Administration Officer with MacKillop
Family Services. Outside of work, I
am facilitating an employability skills
course at Wingate Avenue Community
Centre on Fridays. The group of people
I tutor are from culturally diverse
backgrounds with limited access to
mainstream vocational training. I love
the outdoors, particularly hiking and
beach walks. My favourite TV shows
at the moment are Suits and Mr. Robot
and on most weekends youll find me
at a park with my niece and nephew.

Gert Geyer
Communications Worker

Over the years Ive worked in journalism,

marketing and the arts. Most recently,
I was a freelance designer and artist
working on large scale public art
installations and smaller collaborative
campaigns. While this work was
interesting and varied, I missed being
part of a team, which drove me to
seek out work at Womens Health
West. Now Im more inspired than
ever, surrounded by smart, dynamic
women, and when Im not compulsively
monitoring our Facebook statistics,
I hope to create some innovative
design work. Im a Footscray local
and birdwatching enthusiast, fond
of listening to podcasts during my
walks along the Maribyrnong River.

Ayaan Omar
FARREP Health Promotion Worker Sexual and Reproductive Health

Samsam Geereh
FARREP Health Promotion Worker Sexual and Reproductive Health

I have a special interest in Womens

Health West due to its focus on
achieving equity and justice for women
in the west. I started at Womens
Health West as a receptionist and now
work as a FARREP Health Promotion
worker, where I work delivering
professional development sessions to
health professionals with the aim to
create awareness of the social, cultural
and clinical needs of women and girls
from communities known to practice
female genital mutilation/cutting
(FGM/C). I have a strong interest in
empowering women from culturally and
linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds
and I believe I have found the ideal
role at Womens Health West. In my
spare time, I enjoy giving back to the
community. I do this by volunteering
with services that connect communities
from CALD backgrounds with the wider
community. I also enjoy travelling and
watching TV shows such as Seinfeld.

I have a strong passion for health

promotion and a genuine desire to make
a positive difference by creating genuine
connections with people from diverse
communities. I have spent the last three
years facilitating sexual health workshops
with African youth. I am incredibly lucky
that I now get to deliver the Young
African Womens Project as part of the

whwnews edition 3 2016

Lets talk about Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander womens health
Sacred Sistas workshops in the west is providing a valuable opportunity for young Aboriginal women to
come together and increase their awareness and knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health
in a safe, culturally appropriate and fun environment.

whwnews edition 3 2016

A safe space for young Aboriginal women to come and

yarn, seek advice and be creative about their sexual and
reproductive health through arts-based activities.

Colleen Ivory, Team Leader Action for Equity

The workshops are designed to

provide a safe space for young
Aboriginal women to come and yarn,
seek advice, and be creative about
their sexual and reproductive health
through arts-based activities.
Arimaya Yates, an Aboriginal
midwife, developed Sacred Sistas in
2012 during her work at Wulumperi
Indigenous Sexual Health Unit,
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre.
Womens Health West has developed
the Sacred Sistas: workshops in the
west to meet the needs of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander women living
in Melbournes west. Sacred Sistas is
a program that can be delivered in a
range of forums, including womens
events, community groups and schools.
The first Sacred Sistas: workshops in
the west was facilitated by Aboriginal
Elder Aunty Nellie Flagg, Sylvia
Effrett of Relationships Australia, and
Ngahina Waretini of Womens Health
West. It was held in September at
the Wyndham Aboriginal Community
Centre (WACC) based at Victoria
University in Hoppers Crossing.

The workshops 10 participants had the

opportunity to yarn about respectful
relationships and listen to the Tree of
Life presented by Aunty Nellie Flagg.
Using African drums, the group discussed
the importance of music and arts in
managing their health and wellbeing.
Womens Health Wests health
promotion coordinator, Ngahina
Waretini, shared information with
the women and girls on sexual and
reproductive health. With the use of
beads and other arts-based activities,
the workshop covered topics such as the
menstrual cycle, safe sexual practices,
contraception, sexually transmitted
infections, Pap tests, menopause, and
womens general health and wellbeing.
Womens Health West will work with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders,
young women, community teams and
organisations based in Melbournes
west to deliver Sacred Sistas: workshops
in the west in the local government
areas of Brimbank, Hobsons Bay,
Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Melton,
Moonee Valley and Wyndham.
For more information on the workshops
contact Ngahina on 03 9689 9588
or ngahina@whwest.org.au
Sacred Sistas: workshops in west is an
activity delivered as part of the Action for
Equity regional partnership and action
plan, an initiative proudly supported
by Helen Macpherson Smith Trust.

PHOTOS: Christine Crosby

acred Sistas is an innovative, artsbased sexual and reproductive

health program for young Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander women and
girls aged between 12 and 30.

whwnews edition 3 2016

muslim women speak-out

Christine Crosby, Communications Manager

Comments from the audience:

Muslim women can often be identified more easily than Muslim men
because of the clothing they wear. This can make them a target for
those who hold negative attitudes towards Islam, and multiculturalism
more broadly. Five participants of Womens Health Wests Our
Community, Our Rights project bravely shared their personal
experiences of harassment, at a forum they hosted in July, in the hope
of starting a public conversation about this widespread problem.

ur Community, Our Rights is a

project that engages women from
refugee and migrant backgrounds
in human rights advocacy training
and then goes on to support them to
undertake their own advocacy projects.
This year a group of Muslim women
from the Horn of Africa participated
in Our Community, Our Rights. They
decided that they wanted to share
their stories about the profoundly
negative impact public harassment,
vilification and violence has had on their
own health, safety and wellbeing as
women from the Muslim community.
One project participant explained,
Almost every [Muslim] woman I know
has experienced harassment, either
on the street, in shopping centres,
on public transport, or while driving
her car. Even women who have not
experienced harassment feel afraid
that this might happen to them and
their daughters. Sometimes, women
do not want to go out at all.

whwnews edition 3 2016

The women explained that, by sharing

their own experiences, they can help
others understand how common
harassment is, how frightening it
is for women who experience it,
and how it changes the way they
feel about themselves and live their
day-to-day lives. The group hoped
their stories would inspire others to
join them in denouncing the public
harassment of Muslim women.

A safe space for Muslim women

The Our Community, Our Rights
participants also launched the Safe
Spaces for Muslim Women resource kit
at the forum. This initiative was inspired
by Womens Health Wests decision
to provide a safe space for Muslim
women who experience discrimination
by placing a sign on our front window
that identified our workplace as a place
Muslim women can access should
they feel unsafe or threatened. Our
Community, Our Rights participants
said the community had noticed this
sign and identified it as an important

I really appreciated this rare opportunity

to hear directly from women - to
listen to them speak about their own
experiences and let us know how we can
support them. I learned a great deal.
I found it very powerful, hearing the
women present their experiences in
person, I admire their courage.
I hope the Safe Spaces kit
will be widely adopted.

gesture of support, so they wanted

to expand the network of safe spaces
available to women in their community.
They decided to do this by providing
community agencies with a resource
kit containing a multilingual sign
for their office window, and helpful
information on what is a safe space. The
project group worked with a graphic
designer to create a Safe Spaces logo,
so that Muslim women could instantly
recognise and feel supported by the Safe
Spaces initiative in their community.
Sixty people attended the event
and were moved and inspired
by womens stories.
Thirty-five local community agencies
have ordered a Safe Spaces for Muslim
Women resource kit. Something tells
us that this is just the beginning for this
group of brave and determined women!

Leading regional action to

change the story
Stephanie Rich, Team Leader - Preventing Violence Together

For decades feminist womens services, advocates and experts have

called for action to redress the problem of mens violence against
women in Australia. At the Practice and Policy in the Prevention of
Violence against Women and Children International Conference held
in Adelaide in September 2016, the recognition of violence against
women as a national crisis and call for action was loud and strong.

2. Mens control over decision-making

and limits to womens independence
3. Rigid gender roles and stereotypes

It is now increasingly recognised that

if we redress the drivers of violence
against women we can work to prevent
it from occurring in the first place. In
Melbournes western region, we take
action to prevent violence against
women through the regional partnership,
Preventing Violence Together. Led
by Womens Health West, this strong
partnership of 18 organisations
collaborates on a range of strategies
to prevent violence against women.

Challenging the condoning of

violence against women
Womens Health West works to
change the attitudes, beliefs, and
systems that justify, excuse or
trivialise violence against women.
Our 16 Days Activist Challenge is a
key initiative that supports people
to recognise and challenge victimblaming and myths about mens
violence against women
www.16daysactivist.
whwest.org.au

1. Condoning violence against women

4. Male peer relations that

emphasise disrespect and
aggression towards women.

the Why Gender Matters resources

to challenge gender stereotypes and
promote gender equity in community
health services across the west
http://www.whwest.org.
au/why-gender-matters

Based on evidence-based actions to

prevent violence against women,
Womens Health West works to prevent
violence against women through:

Promoting womens decisionmaking and independence

We deliver womens leadership and
financial literacy programs to increase
womens economic independence,
leadership and decision-making.
Womens Health West also works
with partners to develop wholeof-organisational gender equity
strategies to promote womens
access to power and resources

Challenging gender stereotypes

and rigid gender roles
Womens Health West works with
partners to develop and implement

Strengthening respectful
relationships between and
among women and men
Womens Health West delivers wholeof-school respectful relationships
programs to promote respectful
relationships between young women
and men. We are also a key partner
of the Working Together with
Men project, led by HealthWest, to
support mens active role as allies in
the prevention of violence against
women
http://healthwest.org.
au/events/workingtogether-with-men

The Preventing Violence Together

partnership has embarked on
redeveloping our regional strategy to
prevent mens violence against women,
which has been in action since 2010.
The strategy will draw on the latest
evidence, as outlined in the national
framework, Change the Story. We
are due to launch our new regional
strategy in 2017. Watch this space!

whwnews edition 3 2016

PHOTO: Stephanie Rich

focus of the conference was

the exploration of the national
framework to prevent mens
violence against women, Change the
Story. The framework demonstrates
that particular expressions of gender
inequality consistently predict higher
rates of violence against women,
and recognises the four drivers
of violence against women as:

Taking action to prevent

violence against women

Continued from page 1

and their employees in a campaign to
increase their understanding of how
their day-to-day activities can prevent
violence against women, said Womens
Health West Preventing Violence
Together Team Leader, Stephanie Rich.
The campaign saw 95 people
undertake one or more of the

sixteen challenges outlined in the

16 Days Activist Challenge and we
were happy to see thousands more
engage with the challenge through
social media and the media.
This year Womens Health West
is expanding the challenge and
encouraging more people, workplaces,

community leaders, employees or local

identities to sign up as a 16 Days Activist.
For Lucy Padula, participating in the
16 Days Activist Challenge was her
opportunity to go beyond talking
about the impact of family violence
to undertake actions that will end
mens violence against women.
Although talking about violence
against women is important, talk
alone will not change this, she said.
I did the 16 Days Activist Challenge,
because it is an absolute necessity
and it is something we should be
unconsciously doing 365 days a year.

Take the challenge

In the 16 Days Activist Challenge
you can pledge to undertake one
or all of the challenges. Heres
an example of the actions:
1. Look for gender bias in film
Reflect on the last film that you watched.
How many female characters with
names appeared in it? Did they talk to
each other about something other than
a man? These questions form what is
called the Bechdel Test. Watch a twominute clip about the Bechdel Test, then
tell a friend or colleague about whether
the film you watched passes the test!
2. Recognise myths about
violence against women and
educate others about them
There are many myths that exist
about mens violence against women
in Australia. Read The Lines list of
myths about violence against women
and get the facts. Find the myth that
resonates with you most and share
it with friends, colleagues or family
on Facebook, Twitter or via email.
3. Talk with a man in your life
about healthy masculinity
Have a conversation with a male
friend, family member or colleague

whwnews edition 3 2016

10

about healthy masculinity and

what it means to be a man.
4. Recognise the medias
promotion of harmful
gender stereotypes and
tell others about it

5. Learn to recognise
victim-blaming
Read two news stories, which report
on the same incident of family
violence, to learn how victim blaming
can be promoted through the media
and why we need to challenge it.
The 16 Days Activist Challenge runs from
25 November to 10 December 2016. To
register or for more information visit
www.16daysactivist.whwest.org.au

Sign up to the 16 Days

Activist Challenge
1.
Go to the 16
Days Activist
Challenge website:
www.16daysactivist.
whwest.org.au
2. Click register here
Select the actions
3.
you want to take
Fill in the form and
4.
click sign up

PHOTO: Mark Williams

Watch a short clip by Miss

Representation about the impacts of
gender stereotyping on women and
men. Send this clip to a colleague,
friend or family member and share
with them the main message you
took away from this clip in relation
to violence against women.

Its not something that will slowly

fix itself
By Mark Williams, firefighter and 16 Days Activist 2015
Initially I thought Id do the 16
Days Activist Challenge to help
out a friend. Then, after reading
some information, Ive found that
its not just an issue perpetrated
by a handful of people.
Now I believe that I really am taking
the challenge to positively improve
the lives of people around me and
to help myself raise a child who will
embrace the same positive values. I
also believe it is important to work
together to help lessen and, in a
perfect world, eradicate violence
against women. I imagine people
believe it doesnt happen as often
as it does, as most of these crimes
happen behind closed doors.
Until men are taught that violence
is never an acceptable way to deal
with any issue, we are not going
to solve our problem. Having
more people speak out and take
action against mens violence
against women will hopefully bring

11

increased awareness to the issue and

I hope give people the strength and
courage to stand up for themselves
and others when violence happens.
Working in a predominately male
organisation, I feel I have an
obligation to talk to the people
I work with about this issue.
For Action 5 of the 16 Days Activist
Challenge, Ive read a bit about the
Bechdel test and had the guys I work
with look at some movies to see
how bad it is for women in the film
industry. I think that was a good one
to start with, as most people like
watching movies, and its a relatively
easy one to get other people
involved in. I have used the Bechdel
test to get conversation going and
then led the chat to gender equality.
Im mainly hoping to get people
to start thinking about where our
issues are coming from, and not
just thinking that it is something
that will slowly fix itself.

whwnews edition 3 2016

Womens Health West

feminist theory and practice

staff training
Emma Weaver, Health Promotion Policy Coordinator

Womens Health West works within a feminist framework to redress

the gendered and structural inequities that limit the lives of women
and girls. We conduct an organisation-wide feminist audit every two
years to identify and measure where we are succeeding, and the areas
of feminist practice that we need to strengthen. The audit informs our
yearly whole-of-organisation action plan.

Womens Health West

is strongly committed
to increasing our
shared knowledge
of feminist theory,
practice and behaviour.

key part of our yearly action plan

is our ongoing commitment to
increase staff knowledge and
understanding of feminist theory and
practice. In September, as informed
by staff feedback, we organised
three feminist academics to run two
professional development sessions.
Dr Maree Pardy, a social and cultural
anthropologist, lecturer and feminist
academic from Deakin University,
delivered the first professional
development session. Marees research
focuses on gender and feminist theories
that relate to topics, such as global
urbanisation, cultural diversity, sexuality
in cross cultural contexts, and human
rights. Marees session, entitled From
Feminism to FeminismS, discussed how
feminism has a dynamic history and is
constantly changing through theory,
politics and practice. She provided a
brief overview of (western) feminist
thinking and the challenges it has
encountered over the last century. In
this session, we considered how to keep
feminist thinking and practice alive in
our work and raised important questions
about how to think through the
possibilities of contemporary feminisms
in feminist-oriented organisations.
This professional development session
was followed by an applied practice
session led by Associate Professor
JaneMaree Maher and Dr Kate FitzGibbon, from Monash University.

whwnews edition 3 2016

12

JaneMaree works for the Centre

for Womens Studies and Gender
Research, Sociology in the School of
Social Sciences. Her research focus
includes gendered social science in
the area of womens work and the
family, and gender-based violence.
Kate is a senior lecturer in criminology
and her research focuses on family
violence, legal responses to lethal
violence, and the effects of homicide
law and sentencing reform in Australian
and international jurisdictions.
In their co-facilitated session, entitled
Rethinking risk and security for women
who experience family violence: the
way forward in Victoria?, JaneMaree
and Kate explored the concept of
family violence risk and how this risk is
managed and thought about in public
discourse. They drew on the insights
of recent work with women in the
wake of the Royal Commission, which
focused on conceptions of risk and
safety and findings from their review
of the Common Risk Assessment
Framework (otherwise known as CRAF)
Thirty-seven Womens Health West
staff attended these cross team
feminist trainings. Of those who
attended, 80 per cent agreed that
Dr Maree Pardys session increased
their understanding of feminism as a
political movement. Some examples of
what staff found most engaging and
useful from this session included:

PHOTO: Zoe

Womens Health West staff

call for action on pay equity
on Equal Pay Day 2016.

I love this session. I think having

the space to hear about feminist
theory and practice is such an
exciting opportunity and to do that
collectively as an organisation is
such a significant and important
organisational commitment.
To be reminded of the ongoing
progression of feminism, as it
continuously responds to the everchanging environment, and its
capacity to constantly question itself.
Having an intellectual conversation
that encourages reflection, increases
understanding and inspiration.
Maree was a fantastic speaker
and I would love for her to come
back again and talk about other
topics to do with feminism etc.
Some of the ways in which staff
reflected that the session would
influence their daily practice include:
I will be aware of the ways in
which a woman may understand
her identity in the world and in
relation to family violence (i.e. not
solely, or firstly, as a woman, but

may relate to other factors such

as culture, age, occupation etc.)
I will see women differently
and know that feminism has
many faces and not just the
western white construct.
Feedback showed that 85 per cent
of staff agreed that the second
session increased their understanding
of conceptions of risk and security
for women in the wake of the
Royal Commission into Family
Violence. Some examples of what
staff found most engaging and
useful from this session include:
As CRAF is something I use on a
daily basis in my work, it was good
to know how it was developed,
how others use and adapt it and
the future development of it.
There were some useful
insights into the way society
tolerates family violence.
It is also great to hear about
how recommendations from
the royal commission are being
implemented in the sector.

13

Some of the ways in which staff

reflected that this session would
influence their daily practice include:
I am encouraged to continuously
reflect upon the ways in which
I use CRAF and to adapt it for
different client groups.
I will review the Royal Commission
report and review my usage of the
risk assessment on a daily basis.
It gave me some issues to think
about when completing CRAF
with a woman and allowed
me to think about issues such
as risk in more depth.
Womens Health West is strongly
committed to increasing our shared
knowledge of feminist theory, practice
and behaviour. The evaluation
demonstrates that staff find the
opportunity to come together to
learn and reflect on feminist
theory and practice as engaging,
inspiring and important, and that
as a feminist organisation, this is
really important to continue.

whwnews edition 3 2016

STOCK IMAGE

Funding supports a safe, secure and stable life for women

Christine Crosby, Communications Manager

Flexible Support Packages,

an initiative of the
Victorian Governments
Department of Health
and Human Services, are
providing much needed
funding for women
to support them and
their children to live
independently and free
from family violence.

whwnews edition 3 2016

ince February 2016 Womens Health

West has worked in partnership
with cohealth, McAuley Community
Services for Women, Elizabeth Morgan
House, MacKillop Family Services and
InTouch, to deliver flexible support
packages to assist women escaping
family violence in the Brimbank Melton,
and Western Melbourne regions.
According to Womens Health Wests
flexible support package coordinator,
Jess, the partnership supported 72
women with flexible support package
funding in the first half of 2016, with an
average allocation of $3,000 per client.

14

The packages are available for victims

and survivors of violence who are
currently accessing support services. The
packages are aimed at assisting those
at the greatest risk or who experience
significant financial hardship, she said.
The packages are also supporting
women, children and families to
realise the goals they identified in
their individual case plans for a life
free from family violence. They are
able to achieve this through accessing
flexible support packages funding
to support housing costs, safety and
security or educational goals.

Womens Health
West funding
announcement

CASE STUDY

Finding the right support

Gert Geyer, Communications Worker

A year ago Jenny left her family home, with her daughters, to
escape her husbands violent behaviour. She did not have a job
and had no savings of her own.
I was determined to be a good role model for my daughters and
show them I was a strong, independent woman, so my goal is
to get a job. I have gone back to school to do a teachers aide
course.
Jenny said that without a job it was challenging to keep up with
her living expenses. With the support of Womens Health West,
Jenny received a $3,177 flexible support package to support her
to return to further education and live independently.
I have hurt enough in my life and I have been put down so badly
by my husband. I did not want to be dependent on anyone, but
it is so good to know that there is support around you; there are
people out there to help you, said Jenny.
Jennys daughters are also being supported through Womens
Health Wests childrens counselling program.
I am so happy and proud of my girls and the way they have
talked to their Womens Health West childrens counsellors. It is
rewarding to see how all this support is helping them, and me,
Jenny said.

ecently Womens Health West

received some good news
that will help us continue
to assist women and children
experiencing family violence.
The Victorian State Government
announced funding that will more
than double the capacity of specialist
family violence services. A total of
$572 million was announced as an
immediate response to the Royal
Commission into Family Violence
recommendations, which were
handed down earlier this year.
As an organisation we have received
confirmation for $3.7 million in
increased funding for flexible
support packages and family
violence case management.
We welcome this additional funding,
which will make a huge impact in
Melbournes west and keep women
and children safe from violence.
To read more about how the
funding breakdown will roll out
across the state please see the
summary and recommendations
at www.rcfv.com.au

I am very thankful
for the flexible
support package
funding I received. I
never expected to be in the situation
where I needed to ask for financial
support. It is a very big deal to
be living independently with my
daughters and in my own place.
To have the support to be able to
do this is a very big deal for me

15

whwnews edition 3 2016

Want to make your voice heard?

Want to learn leadership, teamwork and public speaking skills?
Do you live, work or study in Melbournes west?
Are you a young woman aged 1624?
Lead On Again is a six-day leadership program for culturally diverse young women
from Melbournes west. Meet people from other cultures, learn new skills, and get
more involved in your community!

WHEN

1620 January 2017

9.30am4.00pm

23 January 2016
9.30am2.00pm

WHERE

Phoenix Youth Centre

72 Buckley St,
Footscray

APPLY

Online at whwest.org.au/leadership-skills by 28November 2016.

For application forms or more information, contact Kirsten or Amanda.

INFO

Amanda Amato
Kirsten Campbell
0400 687 298
03 9689 9588
Melbourne City Mission
Womens Health West
AAmato@mcm.org.au kirsten@whwest.org.au

Delivered by Womens Health West and the Western Young Peoples Independent Network (auspiced by Melbourne City Mission).
Funded by Brimbank City Council; young women who live, work, study or have links in Brimbank LGA are encouraged to apply.

whwnews edition 3 2016

16

Featured publication

Speaking publicly about preventing mens violence

against women: Curly questions and language
considerations
Stephanie Rich, Team Leader - Preventing Violence Together

here can be some curly questions

and uncertainty around the right
language to use when speaking
publicly about the prevention of violence
against women. The Speaking publicly
about preventing mens violence against
women: Curly questions and language
considerations resource was designed,
as part of the Preventing Violence
Together - United project, to build the
capacity of members of the Preventing
Violence Together (PVT) partnership to
speak publicly about preventing mens
violence against women. We have found
it to be a useful tool to support people to
have conversations about gender-based
violence when they are unsure of how
to answer commonly-asked questions.

In October 2012 the PVT partnership

was funded by the Department of
Justice and Regulation to implement
the three-year United project.
United was a collaboratively
developed project that sought to
further implement the PVT action
plan by building organisational
capacity to embed sustainable,
evidence-based strategies to
prevent mens violence against
women before it occurs.
Download from the Womens
Health West website: http://
whwest.org.au/resource/
speaking-publicly-aboutpreventing-mens-violenceagainst-women/

order form
Womens Health West Publications
This form may be used as a Tax Invoice for GST purposes
Order Form Tax Invoice
ABN 24 036 234 159

A range of brochures, fact sheets &

manuals are available from our website
www.whwest.org.au/resources

Description

Postage fee

Small package

$5

Medium package

$15

Order by mail

Communications Worker
Womens Health West
317 319 Barkly Street FOOTSCRAY VIC 3011

Order by fax

03 9689 3861

Order by email

info@whwest.org.au

Order by phone

03 9689 9588

Payment

Please send payment with your order or we can

invoice you. Cheques payable to: Womens
Health West

delivery DETAILS
Name:
Organisation:

Large package

$20

I will pick up my order from

WHW office.

FREE

Postal Address:
Postcode:
Phone: Fax:
Email:

17

whwnews edition 3 2016

EVENTS Notices
Upcoming dates

STOP Domestic Violence Conference

5-7 December 2016
Mercure Hotel, Brisbane
The Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association
describes the STOP Domestic Violence Conference as a national
unified platform to discuss the strain of domestic violence on
Australian resources and facilities. The topics for discussion
include fostering childrens safety and wellbeing, working with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, creating a
resilient workforce and working with perpetrators of domestic
violence. Leading the discussions will be Our Watch CEO,
Mary Barry, National Rugby League CEO, Todd Greenberg and
Multicultural Centre for Womens Health, Executive Director, Dr
Adele Murdolo.
http://stopdomesticviolence.com.au

WOW - Women of the World

25 November
10
December

16 Days of Activism and

Womens Health West 16
Days Activist Challenge

16 November

Womens Health West

Annual General Meeting
and Annual Conversation
Footscray Community
Arts Centre
This year we discuss the
topic: Advocating for gender
equity creates positive social
change for women, trans and
gender diverse communities

17 November

International Day for Tolerance

10 December

Human Rights Day

29 January

Midsumma Pride
March - Melbourne

February/
March

Inaugural AFL National

Womens League season

6 February

International Day of Zero

Tolerance to FGM

13 February

Anniversary of Apology to
the Stolen Generations

8 March

International Womens Day

23-25 March 2017

WOW is a three-day festival of music, film, critical
conversation and performance that celebrates women and
takes an in-depth look at how we achieve gender equality.
Amazing women such as Elaine Brown, Margaret Harvey,
Maria Katsonis, Paola Bella and Zenith Virago will perform
at the festival. Womens Health West will hold a young
womens leadership event at the festival. WOW has been
identified as the worlds largest network of women and
was founded in 2011 by the Southbank Centre in London.
Since then, WOW festivals have involved over five million
women and taken place in locations across the world.
Next year it is Footscrays turn! More information: www.
footscrayarts.com/event/women-of-the-world-2017

15th World Congress on Public Health

3-7 April 2017

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition

Centre, South Wharf, Melbourne
In 2017 the Public Health Association of Australia will host
more than 3,000 people at the 15th World Congress on
Public Health in Melbourne. The congress serves as an
international forum for the exchange of public health and
health promotion knowledge at a national and global level.
The keynote speakers include Deakin University Professor
of Violence and Addiction Studies, Peter Miller; Australian
National University Professor of Health Equity and Director of
the School of Regulation and Global Governance, Sharon Friel;
and Dr Rdiger Krech, the Director for Health Systems and
Innovation at the World Health Organization. More information
and registration at: http://www.wcph2017.com

whwnews edition 3 2016

18

donations

Join the dads & mums

of Melbournes West
and say no to violence
against women

Gayle Crawford, Finance Officer

Donor

Donation

Royal Commission
into Family Violence

37 x visitor chairs and

office chairs ($2,525)

Royal Commission
into Family Violence

3 x office tables ($425)

Royal Commission
into Family Violence

19 x tambour units ($7,000)

Donor

Type

Magistrates'
Court - Sunshine

2 x court ordered
donations

Individual donors

3 x individual
donations

Moonee Valley
City Council

Donation from
International
Womens Day
fundraiser

Women of the West

Donation
from Women
of the West
fundraiser raffle

$1,130

Donation from
Women of the
West fundraiser

$2,240

Women of the West

Fri 2nd Dec 2016.

7.30pm- Late
The Substation Newport

Amount
$550

$25pp. Purchase tickets at:

https://events.ticketbooth.com.au/event/DONS2016

$702.05

Ticket includes: Entry / Live band / Free Photobooth / Drinks at bar prices
Funds raised will support WHW & White Ribbon.

$60

Major event sponsor:

White Ribbon Event Reg No: #23958

The DONS support Womens Health West

Country Womens
Association of Victoria

Donation from
fundraiser

$400

Impact for Women

Donation from
fundraiser

$1,000

TOTAL

black
& white
night

$6,082.05

Donations to Womens Health West are tax deductible and

much appreciated! To donate online, visit
www.whwest.org.au/about-us/donations

The DONS (Dads of Newport and Surrounds) invite you to

join them at their annual fundraising dinner. This year the
DONS will use their event to raise funds for Womens Health
West. The event is all about men and women of the west
coming together, as a fun night as a community, while
taking the pledge to stand up against mens violence against
women. This is the second annual DONs fundraiser, and they
hope to exceed the 280 people who attended last year.
The fundraiser is on Friday, 2 December at the Substation
in Newport. Tickets are $25: https://events.
ticketbooth.com.au/event/DONS2016

Membership form

All women living, working or studying in the western

metropolitan region of Melbourne are eligible for
membership of WHW, as are organisations whose client

TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP

CONTACT DETAILS

I ndividual Voting Member

(woman who lives, works or studies in the western metro region)

ADDRESS

NAME
SUBURB POSTCODE

 rganisational Member
O
(organisation in, or whose client-base includes, the region)

PHONE (W)

PHONE (H)

O R G A N I S AT I O N

(Individual members only)

EMAIL ADDRESS
C O N TA C T P E R S O N

(This person is also eligible to attend and vote at our Annual General Meeting)

S I G N AT U R E D AT E

POSITION

 ssociate Non-voting Member

A
(individual or organisation outside the region)
Membership is free. To apply, fill in this form and mail to: W
 omens Health West
317319 Barkly Street, Footscray VIC 3011

WOMENS HEALTH WEST

PRESENTS THE

2016

AGM
AND

ANNUAL

FOOTSCRAY
COMMUNITY
ARTS CENTRE
in the

PERFORMANCE SPACE
at

45 MORELAND STREET
FOOTSCRAY VIC 3011

conversation

4PM
FOR A

4:30PM
START

WEDNESDAY

NOVEMBER
SIXTEENTH

FEATURING

DISCUSSING THE TOPIC

Rowena Allen

Sally Goldner

TRANSGENDER VICTORIA EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR
AND

Jami Jones

RAINBOW NETWORK COORDINATOR

AND

Advocating for gender equity

creates positive social change
for women, trans and gender
diverse communities

VICTORIAN COMMISSIONER FOR

GENDER AND SEXUALITY
AND

womens health west

RSVP FOR YOUR FREE TICKET

BY THE 9TH NOVEMBER

http://bit.ly/WHWconversation

Mellem Rose
BI-ALLIANCE VP

WITH FEATURING
MC Nelly Thomas

EMAIL
PHONE
WEB

info@whwest.org.au
03 9689 9588
www.whwest.org.au