WESNET looks forward to an equal world without gender-based violence against women endemic within our society and fully supports the Federal Government’s statement that … “ … if women are not safe and continue to suffer sexual assault and domestic violence – they will never be economically secure and they will never be equal”.
WESNET is the national peak body working on behalf of women and their children who are experiencing or have experienced domestic or family violence. With almost 400 members across Australia, WESNET represents a range of organisations and individuals including women’s refuges, women’s shelters, safe houses, women’s housing services, women’s counselling, support and advocacy services and information and referral services.
WESNET looks forward to the Federal Government working closely with WESNET (domestic and family violence peak) and NASASV (sexual assault peak) throughout the implementation of the National Plan.
“WESNET particularly welcomes the Federal Government’s focus on prevention and reduction of violence against women over a sustained 12 year period which will be evaluated, and its commitment to achieving social change. Social change is possible – we only have to look at changes achieved in areas such as smoking, wearing seatbelts, littering and road trauma” said Ms Julie Oberin, National Chairperson. WESNET shares the Federal Government’s view that social change to drastically reduce and ultimately prevent violence against women in Australia is possible.
WESNET welcome’s the Plan’s commitment to change community attitudes which support or collude with the use of violence against women. Changing community attitudes leads to changed behaviour and tolerance of such behaviour is reduced. The development of a media code of practice on the reporting of sexual assault and domestic violence will go some way towards this. “A National Centre for Excellence to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and to promote other effective processes is an important flagship for the task ahead and WESNET looks forward to supporting the implementation of the 12 Year comprehensive National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children” said Ms Pauline Woodbridge, QLD WESNET delegate.
WESNET also supports the enhancement of services to victims and those who work with them as enhanced service delivery at the grass roots level must happen at the same time as policy responses and community awareness campaigns aimed at changing attitudes. “It is extremely important that all work undertaken in this area focuses on maximising the safety of women and their children and maximises the accountability of perpetrators of this violence” said Ms Margaret Augerinos, Victorian WESNET delegate. “It is also important that some of this funding goes to specialist services supporting women and children experiencing domestic and family violence to build capacity so that they can also implement much needed strategic interventions for these families”. Building on the Australian Law Reform Commission current inquiry looking on the impact of Commonwealth Laws on victims of family violence is also welcomed.
“Funding the Personal Safety Survey and National Community Attitudes Survey to track the impact of the new action plan every four years demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving real change and not just paying lip service to the issue” said Ms Oberin. WESNET looks forward to an equal world without gender-based violence against women endemic within our society and fully supports the Federal Government’s statement that … “ … if women are not safe and continue to suffer sexual assault and domestic violence – they will never be economically secure and they will never be equal”.
