“As survivors, we know what could have helped us, we know what hurt us.“
Efforts to protect children from abuse which do not centre the wisdom of people who were abused as children themselves are fundamentally limited in their effectiveness.
‘Emma’s Project’ was always the temporary name for a much more collective effort for the protection of children, guided by the shared wisdom of survivors of sexual abuse during childhood.
After having read every single word from every single person who responded to the survey – three times over – ACF have a roadmap forward.
It is with pride that ACF share their survivor-renamed Our Collective Experience Project, and our first report from it: Hear us now, act now.
We encourage you to download, read and share this report with people you know who may be interested in the protection of children. The content of the report which includes extensive quotes from survivors is very powerful.
But also be aware that it may affect you as you read it. Seek out support if you find that it makes you feel distressed or upset. There are helplines in the report itself.
While much national and international literature recognises the intersections
of family violence and sexual harm, there is as yet little research and policy within Australia generally, or within Victoria, that addresses the co-occurrence of family violence and sexual harm experienced by adult victim survivors.
This research conducted by RMIT begins to address this important evidence gap. It seeks to expand the knowledge base with respect to both the nature of victim survivor experiences of co-occurring family violence and sexual harm, as well as supporting improvement in effective service delivery within the family violence and sexual assault sectors.
Violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children is not an ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander problem.’
Every individual, across communities, organisations and governments, has a responsibility to prevent violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children. Changing the picture is a framework to guide the national approach to addressing the drivers of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
Read Changing the picture here
This is Yoorrook’s second interim report. It considers systemic injustices in the child protection and criminal justice systems. It fulfils the requirement in the amended Letters Patent dated 4 April 2023 to deliver a second interim report by 31 August 2023.
A note on content: First People’s are advised that this report may contain photos, quotations and names of people who are deceased. This report discussed sensitive topics that some readers may find distressing. Yoorrooks urges you to consider how and when you read this report and what supports you might need.
Under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 (the National Plan), the Australian Government has released the First Action Plan 2023-2027, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan 2023-2025 and the Outcomes Framework 2023-2032.
For the first time, the Australian, state and territory governments have a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan. It was developed in partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council on family, domestic, and sexual violence, and was informed through nationwide consultation with victim-survivors, community and sector representatives.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan acknowledges the disproportionate levels of violence, harm and trauma suffered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, children and gender diverse peoples. It recognises that solutions need to be led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and outlines government initiatives that will focus on addressing immediate safety needs, while laying the foundations for longer term change.
Click here to access the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan and Outcomes Framework
There are inadequate resources available to support lesbian, gay, bi + , trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people experiencing family violence in Australia. Government funding agencies and mainstream family violence service providers regularly state that there is insufficient evidence to justify investment in more inclusive services.
This recently published research article explores practitioner perceptions of such claims and calls for more investment in research and data gathering about family violence against LGBTIQ people and provision of effective supports.
This article examines the nature of risks and how they are experienced and challenged, through a case study analysis of the implementation of the Australian state of Victoria’s Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council. Analysing government reports and interviews with survivors and policymakers, the article investigates how the state asserts control over survivors under the guise of co-production, inadvertently compromising public value creation.
Across Australia, concern about the housing crisis has never been greater. Asking rents have been rising steadily for decades, and have surged to extreme levels over recent years. More households are in housing stress, and severe housing stress, than at any other time in our history. And the shortfall in social housing has peaked at record-highs as waiting lists stretch longer than anyone thought possible.
Amidst these statistics are the experiences of people. More and more are missing out on the dream of a home, including renters who have been forgotten and ignored in debates about housing for years. They now face a housing market that has never been less affordable or more volatile as they are forced to spend record amounts to keep a roof over their heads.
This survey has been conducted in response to these conditions. To better understand the impact of Australia’s overheated housing system on people’s lives.
Click here to read the full report
The high rates of suicide-related behaviour among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, combined with similar evidence relating to LGBTQIA+ people, suggest that there is a need to investigate the compound risk of suicide-related behaviour among people who are both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and LGBTQIASB+. This report highlights gaps in existing data collection and research literature regarding the experiences of this group. It explores the risks to social, cultural and emotional wellbeing, as well as protective factors for suicide, for this group. Further research is needed to improve policy, data, and program service response, particularly following the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and government responses. This review recommends that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIASB+ people are treated as a priority group for research, policy and programs that are informed, owned, and driven by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIASB+ people.
Breaking down gender biases: Shifting social norms towards gender equality.
Without tackling biased gender social norms, we will not achieve gender equality or the Sustainable Development Goals. Biased gender social norms—the undervaluation of women’s capabilities and rights in society—constrain women’s choices and opportunities by regulating behaviour and setting the boundaries of what women are expected to do and be. Biased gender social norms are a major impediment to achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.