ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust

 
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ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust
ISSUE #94

MAY 2021

Welcome                                           teenager” in a headline about her           controlled until no one else is there to
                                                  rapist’s conviction. A report on a rape     intervene or witness the abuse.
Greetings friends! Hard to believe it’s           trial was headlined with a claim from
autumn already — and what a year it’s             the defence lawyer about the victim         Journalism has a responsibility here.
been.                                             being “flirty” at a party. The Good         When the one constant in reporting on
                                                  Guy trope was ubiquitous in reporting       men’s violence against women was to
We’ve seen mass protests around the               on men who killed their wives and           erase that moment of choice, victims
country in support of gender equality;            children. Tracey Connelly, killed in        become responsible for inciting the
politicians forced to confront the toxic          2013, was dehumanised to “St Kilda          feeling and therefore the violence.
culture festering within our national             Prostitute” in every single headline        That perception flows through the
parliament; and we’ve heard strong                about her murder. Women subjected           community, into juries, parliaments,
women like Brittany Higgins, Grace                to domestic and family abuse were           businesses and families. Flipping it, so
Tame, and many others, stand up and               “unfaithful” or “cheating wives” and        the choice to use violence is the focus
call out sexism where they see it.                violent men, if they were mentioned         and the cause of the problem changes
                                                  at all, were “tradies”, “loving dads”       how we think about men’s violence
We are living in unusual times, that’s            or “football stars’”. They were also        and therefore what we do about it.
for sure, but we need to collectively             frequently defined by their emotions.
harness the outrage and turn it into              Jealous husbands, lovesick boyfriend,       Until recently, I have only ever once
real action. Are you with us?                     spurned lovers or even a “horny             had one editor respond directly to my
                                                  cabbie” (seriously) committed a litany      work on media reporting of violence.
A message to journalists                          of violence against the women in their      At best, editors would hastily change
writing about violence                            lives.                                      online headlines that attracted a
                                                                                              strong social media pushback. Mostly,
JANE GILMORE
                                                  Almost all of us have felt those            they simply ignored it. I do, however,
                                                  emotions so of course we relate to the      frequently hear from the victims and
I’ve been writing about the erasure               feelings, but this empathetic coverage      survivors, or their families. They would
of men’s violence against women in                erased the choice those men made            tell me how often journalists distorted
the media for over a decade now. I’ve             to use violence. Because violence is        their stories, what it felt like to see
written articles, started the FixedIt             always a choice. We may be at the           news articles implying they deserved
social media campaign, studied it                 mercy of others when it comes to how        or caused what was done to them.
university and written a book about it.           we feel — rejection is rarely something     They’d describe how eviscerating it
So, I guess by now you could almost               we choose — but in that moment              was to be completely erased from
call it an obsession.                             between feeling and action is a choice.     a story about their own lives and
                                                  Abusive men do not choose to walk           trauma, while their abuser as excused
When I first started, direct, explicit            away, cry, talk or leave. They choose       justified or even lauded.
victim-blaming was common in news                 violence. It is not a loss of control,
about men’s violence against women.               because abusive men are almost              Late last year the ABC made a strong
A 14-year-old girl was called a “drunk            never abusive in front of others, it is     effort to change their reporting on

TOP: Jane Gilmore, author of FixedIt: Violence and the Representation of Women in the Media

                                               Victorian Women’s Trust | @VicWomensTrust
                                               a. 9/313 La Trobe Street, Melbourne VIC 3000                                              1
                                p. (03) 9642 0422 f. (03) 9642 0016 e. women@vwt.org.au w. www.vwt.org.au
ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust
men’s violence against women. They          Jane Gilmore was the founding editor        The Trap’s host, Jess Hill is the author of
    did a lot of internal work on updating      of The King’s Tribune. She has a Master     celebrated book See What You Made Me
    editorial guidelines, improving resources   of Journalism from the University of        Do: Power, Control and Domestic Abuse,
    for reporting outside the crime and         Melbourne and is now a freelance            winner of the 2020 Stella Prize. Jess
    court reporting where men’s violence        journalist and author, with a particular    says, “This is the show I’ve dreamt of
    against women usually sat, and invested     interest in feminism, media and data        making: one that will take listeners deep
    in internal and external training for       journalism.                                 into the domestic abuse crisis raging
    newsrooms. (Declaration: Jess Hill and                                                  in our homes and across our systems.
    I were commissioned to do a small           Jane is the creator of the FixedIt          To truly change society, we need to
    portion of that training.) Two days of      campaign, which highlights victim           understand how abuse, coercion and
    empathy training won’t do much, but         blaming and erasure of male violence        control play out in private and public
    organisational change and education,        from news headlines. Her book FixedIt:      life, and how we can play a part in
    mandated from the top down over a           Violence and the Representation of          changing this: both in our systems, and
    long period of time, can make a huge        Women in the Media was published by         ourselves.”
    difference. The results at the ABC are      Penguin Random House in August 2019.
    clear. In addition to their contribution                                                Over ten episodes, Jess will interview
    on improving public understanding of        � This piece was originally published in    victim survivors and perpetrators of
    the complexity and range of abuse           the Trust Journal, our blog. Republished    domestic abuse, police officers, whistle
    enacted by violent men and the              with permission. Read more VWT              blowers, trauma specialists, counsellors,
    structural barriers to change in police,    articles and guest blogs via:               academics and historians. Through
    courts and parliaments, the ABC has         www.vwt.org.au/blog                         their experiences she will unpack how
    also changed their daily reporting of                                                   the abuse starts, the many forms it
    news. From my perspective, the ABC            If this topic raise any issues for you,   can take, what coercive control looks
                                                �

    which used to feature far too often in      please contact:                             like, and what victims face when they
    the FixedIt campaign, has rarely put a                                                  try to seek help. The podcast will also
    foot wrong since they did that work.        1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732                   explore how abusive behaviour, coercion
                                                Lifeline 13 11 14                           and control are part of our daily lives,      prevent harm to women and girls, and         The first stop for any club is the Club       in Melbourne. With funding from the
    This is the most obvious example that       Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636                    and will wrestle with the questions           relished challenging the conventional        Respect website (www.clubrespect.             Victorian Government and facilitated by
    I know of, but I can also see significant                                               that confound us: Why does domestic           beliefs and patriarchal values she saw       org.au) a free and accessible platform        Respect Australia and Mahana Culture,
    changes across many other news              For more information, visit our list of     abuse persist? Why do people become           as detrimental to women’s safety and         for everyone in sports clubs and              the pilot program helped clubs establish
    publications. The biggest change I saw      support services:                           abusive? And what can we do to prevent        wellbeing. Bea founded WEL and co-           community groups. The website holds           a framework of respect. Working closely
    was after Peter Miles killed his wife,      www.vwt.org.au/support-services             it?                                           founded the Victorian Council for Civil      all of our knowledge and features our         with Pasifika (Pacific) communities,
    Cyndia, his daughter, Katrina, and her
                                                                                                                                          Liberties (now Liberty Victoria). She was    Panel of Expertise, a portal for anyone       the pilot program provided education
    four children, Tay, Rylan, Arye and                                                     This project has been made possible           a significant activist in the Abortion Law   to ask a question of our 12 sports club       around role modelling respect and
    Kayden in Margaret River. Miles and                                                     thanks to the support of the Phyllis          Reform Association (ALRA).                   specialists.                                  equality to help prevent family violence.
    was described by journalists as “loving                                                 Connor Memorial Trust of Equity Trustees
    grandfather” and a “good bloke”,                                                        Limited, Jo Baevski and a private donor.      We believe Bea’s life and work should be     For clubs wanting to draw a ‘line in          Club Respect is now delivering a
    inciting a long overdue discussion about
                                                                                                                                          celebrated on the public record with a       the sand’ of their club culture and           workshop that takes the best elements
    this kind of reporting, which led to                                                      Preview episode available now!
                                                                                            �

                                                                                                                                          readable, well-illustrated book. Young       maintain an environment of respect, we        from these past programs. It is available
    an entire segment on Media Watch.                                                       Listen and subscribe on your preferred        Australian women need to know the            now offer our signature Club Respect          across the country to all codes, all clubs
    Since then, the good guy/loving father/                                                 podcast app.                                  feminist history of their foremothers,       workshops. You can join the cohort            and at any level.
    great bloke approach has pretty much
                                                                                                                                          and to understand the hard-fought            of sports clubs, associations, leagues
    vanished from reporting on men who kill
    women and children. As it should.
                                                                                            Putting Bea Faust’s feminist                  achievements which improved women’s          and local councils who are making             Feedback from workshop participants:
                                                                                                                                          lives.                                       significant cultural changes at their
                                                                                            legacy on the public record
                                                                                                                                                                                       clubs that are creating safe, kind and fair   ‘What a wonderful experience for our
    The day-to-day work of trying to make                                                                                                   If you wish to make a contribution         environments.                                 club, as seasons come and go we hope

                                                                                                                                          �
    change can be a grind. I have to keep                                                   Former Women’s Electoral Lobby
                                                                                                                                          to the Bea Faust biography campaign,                                                       to continue to build respect for all
    reminding myself that real change takes                                                 (WEL) women, Rosalind Smallwood,
                                                                                                                                          please contact us on (03) 9642 0422          Club Respect Workshops                        into our culture’
    time, not just weeks or months, but                                                     Iola Mathews, Lesley Vick, and Jocelyn
    years. Especially when what we are                                                      Mitchell, approached the Trust to cover
                                                Coming August 2021:                                                                                                                    Club Respect’s workshop content dates         ‘The course offered enough practical
    trying to change is violence grounded in                                                the expenses for a research biography
                                                The Trap podcast, hosted                                                                                                               back to the early 2010’s with the Be          and informative detail to allow our
    structures built on colonialism, sexism,                                                biography of renowned feminist
                                                                                                                                                                                       the Hero! Program. Facilitated by Paul        club to improve our skills without
    racism, and deliberate erasure of           by Jess Hill                                Beatrice (Bea) Faust AO (1939-2019).
                                                                                                                                                                                       Zappa (co-founder, Club Respect),             being overwhelmed. We now know
    vulnerable groups such as people with                                                   Emeritus Professor Judith Brett has
                                                                                                                                                                                       the program was aimed primarily at            where we need to focus for future
    disabilities and the LGBTIQ community.      Our new podcast series, The Trap,           agreed to write this biography, which
                                                                                                                                                                                       boys and young men at high schools,           improvements.’
    The seismic moments can feel profound,      written and hosted by leading Australian    will be published by Text Publishing.
                                                                                                                                                                                       utilising group activities, discussion and
    as we’ve seen in MeToo or even in           investigative journalist and award-         To bring this important project to life, a
                                                                                                                                                                                       interactive web resources to promote          ‘Thorough, welcoming, inclusive
    Canberra in the last month. But as I        winning author, Jess Hill, and produced     donation campaign has been developed
                                                                                                                                                                                       respectful relationships.                     training. Gently presented, solid
    said earlier, feelings are not actions.     by documentary-maker Georgina Savage        cover Judith’s research expenses, such
                                                                                                                                                                                       Melbourne Storm joined in the                 evidence base!’
    Feelings are ephemeral. They can wash       will be released on August 5.               as copyright permissions, travel and
                                                                                                                                                                                       program delivery, introducing their
    over the structures of violence and then                                                accommodation, printing and stationery.
                                                                                                                                                                                       own young players to participate, who           Interested in a workshop presentation

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     �
    recede, leaving nothing in their wake       The Trap is a series about love, abuse
                                                                                                                                          Club Respect delivering                      then progressed to presenting to the          at your club? Send an expression of
    but the status quo. Real change needs       and power. Intimate, disturbing and         It is expect that $12,000 will cover these                                                 students themselves. The connection           interest to Tarik Bayrakli (manager, Club
    choice and action on the difficult work     explosive, this series reveals how          requirements and VWT is thrilled to be        workshops around Australia                   with the Storm led to a similar program       Respect): hello@clubrespect.org.au
    of dismantling the structures that enable   domestic abuse and coercive control         partnering with the women involved to                                                      being delivered to clubs affiliated with
    men’s violence, instead of tinkering        impacts millions of Australians, and how    assist with the fundraising goal.             Club Respect is a national harm
                                                                                                                                                                                       NRL Victoria from 2015-17. The success
    around the edges with advertising           these same dynamics are perpetuated                                                       prevention initiative of the Dugdale
                                                                                                                                                                                       of these programs led to the launch of        RIGHT PAGE TOP: Launch of Club Respect at
    campaigns and press releases. We need       by the systems – and people - that          Bea Faust changed the lives of countless      Trust for Women & Girls of which the
                                                                                                                                                                                       Club Respect in 2018.                         AAMI Park Image Breeana Dunbar
    to do more than just hope that happens      govern us. This ambitious series is an      women for the better, with her ground-        Victorian Women’s Trust is the Trustee.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     RIGHT PAGE BOTTOM LEFT: Brian Phelan,
    now. We need to demand it. And exact a      exposé on how we become trapped:            breaking work as a feminist, political        Club Respect heralds a movement
                                                                                                                                                                                       Since the launch, a pilot program             Sophie Bliss and Peter Robinson Image
    price for failure.                          as victims, as perpetrators, and as a       campaigner, writer, and academic.             of local sports clubs that build and
                                                                                                                                                                                       was delivered to rugby league clubs           Breeana Dunbar
                                                society.                                    She worked for reforms that would             maintain a culture of respect.
2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 3
ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust
Do you know an aspiring teen
      writer?

      We’re looking for teens to write
      for Rosie.org.au, our feminist
      youth website. It’s a paid
      opportunity and they can write
      a blog on any topic they like.

        If you know of a young person
    �

      who might be interested, please
      send this short survey their way:

    Meet Sanduni, our New Rosie Editor                                                                                                      VWT News
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        TOP LEFT: Sanduni Hewa Katupothage Image
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Breeana Dunbar TOP RIGHT: Headline from an
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        article by Jewel Topsfield, published The Age on
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        March 30
    Welcome Sanduni Hewa Katupothage!

    Rosie is a harm prevention initiative of       What was your favourite part of             the time as if you exist in a vacuum –       Have you signed up for                        goodbye to two staff members: Sophie          needs were not being met. The results
    the Dugdale Trust for Women & Girls,           your teen years?                            practically though, it is so difficult to                                                  Bliss and Esther-Davies Brown.                showed that:
    and aims to keep teenagers informed
                                                                                                                                            Trustworthy, our weekly news                                                                •   83% of respondents that have
                                                                                               love yourself when the world won’t stop
    about their rights and ways they can           My teen years were full of pondering,       pointing out everything that is wrong
                                                                                                                                            round up?                                     Sophie has vacated her role as Rosie              experienced menopause said their
    contribute to the feminist movement.           reflection and trying to figure out who     with you.                                                                                  editor to head off on a trip around               work was negatively affected.
                                                   I was. I had to, unfortunately, figure                                                   We see it as our duty to keep people          Australia. Esther is looking forward to a     •   73% stated stress and anxiety were
    Last month we said goodbye to editor of        out what didn’t work for me to finally                                                   informed about important gender               new career direction as well, taking skills       higher.
                                                                                               So I want to tell younger me that it’s not
    Rosie.org.au, Sophie Bliss. Since Sophie       realise what did. Without that difficult                                                 equality news. However, as you may            from her time at VWT into her new role        •   57% said overall confidence took a
                                                                                               that there’s anything wrong with you –                                                                                                       hit.
    departed, star VWT volunteer Sanduni           exploration, I wouldn’t be the person I                                                  recall, a few months ago Facebook             at Headspace. We wish them both all the
    has been appointed to the role. We sat         am today. My teen years were also full      it’s just the world convincing you that                                                                                                  •   45% said they considered retiring or
                                                                                                                                            chose to ban trusted news sources like        best in their future adventures!
    down with Sanduni to discuss teenhood,         of wonder – the best and worst kinds.       there is. Unlearn all the BS the world       the ABC, the Guardian Australia, SBS                                                            taking a break from work when their
    feminist media and the future of Rosie.        I spent a lot of time on Tumblr and         has taught you and why it benefits from      News and more.                                In May, longstanding strategic                    menopausal symptoms were severe.
                                                   YouTube, trying to find my people and       your insecurity. Keep on following that                                                    communications manager Ally Oliver-
    So why don’t you start off by telling          my place. That younger me has a very        pure light within you that’s been there      To ensure we are doing our part to            Perham will be taking a break to go on        One respondent commented that:
    us a little bit about yourself?                special place in my heart.                  from the start – your gut, heart and soul    share important news, we launched             parental leave. At the time of printing,      “My employer couldn’t care less. In
                                                                                               know what is up. Be you.                     Trustworthy, a free weekly email round        we are in the middle of the recruiting        fact, I felt I had to keep it secret as
    Sure, my name is Sanduni and I really          What are your favourite feminist                                                         up of feminist news. Sending every            a strategic communications manager            menopausal women are regarded as
    relate to that Lisa Simpson quote: “I am       media recommendations?                      What do you think you are going to           Friday, this brief email sums up the          and communications officer. We look           slightly dumb and can’t be trusted to
    interested in music, science, justice,                                                                                                  biggest gender equality stories of the        forward to introducing you to our             work effectively.”
                                                                                               bring to Rosie?
    animals, shapes and feelings.” If I were       My favourite TV show is Pose! I also                                                     week and delivers them straight to your       newest team members very soon.
    to add anything to that list it would          watched She-Ra with my sister last                                                       inbox.                                                                                      Circle In has compiled guidelines for
                                                                                               Hopefully a lot of life, love and
    include film, space, public transport,         year and loved it – super diverse and                                                                                                                                                employers seeking to drive change in
    love and nature. I spend a lot of my           queer. Ackley Bridge is incredible too      abundance – what I try to bring to                                                         Collaboration with Circle In                  their own organisations, including advice
                                                                                                                                            While Facebook has since reversed their
    time dancing in my room, daydreaming           – also one of my lockdown faves. A lot      everything I can. I want to be able to       decision on sharing news within the           on menopause research                         on raising awareness, better equipping
    and trying to figure out if everything         of my favourite feminist songs are in       have more discussions about mental           platform, we think it is wise to continue                                                   managers, and creating a framework for
    has meaning or if nothing has meaning          an article I wrote last year and most of    health, body image, race, class,             to maintain communications outside of         Nearly one in two working women               flexibility.
    (and if it matters at all). As you can tell,   them still stand. Some of my favourite      sexuality, gender, ableism, and all of       a multi-billion dollar corporation with       experiencing menopause consider
    my brain is still recovering from the          people to follow on Instagram are: @        their intersections. I want to carry         vested interests. Just in case.               retiring or taking a break from               This research was also picked up by
    fogginess of being in lockdown, but I          thefatsextherapist, @ihartericka,           the energy of teenage girls, QTBIPOC,                                                      work, as revealed in a new research           journalist Jewel Topsfield in an insightful
    think we all are.                              @bobo.matjila and @soju_gang.                                                              Sign up to Trustworthy, our free email      piece by Circle In, with the support of       piece, ‘It was traumatic’: The workplace
                                                                                                                                            �

                                                                                               frogs, quokkas and the cosmos with
                                                                                               me and through my work. I want this          newsletter: www.bit.ly/trustworthyVWT         VWT.                                          taboo causing women to suffer in silence,
    I started volunteering at the Victorian        What advice would you give to your                                                                                                                                                   published in The Age on March 30.
                                                                                               space to continue being a safe space for
    Women’s Trust (Rosie’s parent                  teenage self?                                                                                                                          Circle In is a global employee experience
    organisation) almost three years ago
                                                                                               everyone, no matter who they are. I’m        Changes to the Trust team                     platform that helps organisations to           Read the full report, Driving the

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        �
                                                                                               so excited!
    because I wanted an outlet to push out         As a teenager, I was so lost, super                                                                                                    maintain connections with parents and         Change: Menopause and the Workplace:
    all my raging feminist energy. During          depressed and lonely. I didn’t really                                                    We’ve been fortunate at the Victorian         caregivers on their team.                     www.bit.ly/circleinVWT
    my time here I have grown from a baby          have any positive relationships in my                                                    Women’s Trust to retain talented and
    feminist into a rad revolutionary (lol)        life, and the worst of them all was the                                                  capable team members over the course          More than 700 people responded to the            Check out Jewel Topsfield’s article on

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        �
    and I cannot wait to see how Rosie and I       relationship I had with myself. You hear     To find out more about Rosie, visit:        of many years. But like everything in life,   survey, revealing glaring statistics and      this important workplace issue:
                                                                                               �

    grow together.                                 people telling you to ‘love yourself’ all   www.rosie.org.au                             things do change, and we recently said        an entire cohort of the workers whose         www.bit.ly/theageVWT
4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          5
ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust
TOP LEFT: Screenshot of Love, Power & Control webinar with Jess Hill, featuring (top row from left) Dr Manjula O’Connor, Prof Heather Douglas, Paul

    VWT Events                                                                                                                          McGorrery, (bottom row from left) Tania Farha, Jess Hill, and Christine Robinson. TOP RIGHT: Mary Crooks AO, Christina Hobbs, Rana Hussain, and
                                                                                                                                        Prof Fiona Stanley AC; and cover of Kate Ellis’ book, Sex, Lies & Question Time.

    Catch up on all our recent events

    Love, Power & Control with                   Unlike current conceptualisations of       public movement for the introduction        Thrive by Five x VWT Town                        country. As mentioned by Christina                her wry, candid and provocative portrait
                                                 domestic violence in Australian law,       of coercive control offences across                                                          Hobbs, an article by The Australian               of her time in Parliament.
    Jess Hill, Two Part Webinar                                                             Australia. However, despite this traction
                                                                                                                                        Hall panel: Can gender
                                                 coercive control is not characterised                                                                                                   Institute showed that for every million
    Series                                       as individualised incidents of physical    in the legal reform space, some within      equality be achieved without                     dollars spent on education and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Sex, Lies and Question Time is a
                                                 violence, but rather recognises            the domestic violence sector have           reforming early childhood                        childcare, 10.6 direct jobs would be
    On 11 and 18 February 2021, VWT              a broader range of behaviours              reservations about the ability of these                                                      created for women and 4.3 direct jobs             powerful call to demand more of our
                                                                                                                                        education?
    screened Love, Power and Control, a          that operate pervasively within a          proposed laws to protect victim-                                                             would be created for men. Despite the             leaders and our institutions. It reminds
    two-part webinar series on the potential     relationship. As described by webinar      survivors and are concerned about their                                                      clear social and economic benefits of             us we need greater diversity to shape a
                                                                                                                                        On Thursday 18 March, Mary Crooks AO
    of coercive control law reform in            panellist Pragna Patel, coercive control   potential impact on different cultural                                                       an improved child care structures (all            fairer Australia, where ‘women’s issues’
                                                                                                                                        (executive director, VWT) moderated
    Australia. The series was moderated by       is “a continuum [of] multiple and          groups. The understandable mistrust         a virtual town hall event on early               well established and evidenced) the               are everyone’s issues.
    Jess Hill, journalist and author of Stella   overlapping forms of abuse”.               of the criminal justice system among        education and childcare reform, hosted           Australian government is lacking the
    Prize winning book, See What You Made                                                   Indigenous communities may present          by the Victorian Women’s Trust in                political will.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Sex, Lies and Question Time by Kate

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          �
    Me Do: Power, Control and Domestic           The UK perspective: how has law reform     a large obstacle in combating coercive      partnership with Thrive by Five. Together
    Abuse.                                       impacted the lives of victim-survivors?    control through legislative reform.         with panellists Prof Fiona Stanley AC            “If there is not room in the room where           Ellis is available now in all good book
                                                                                                                                        (child and public health researcher);            these decisions are being made ... if             shops.
    Over the two webinars, Jess was joined       Coercive control in an intimate or         Instances of coercive control interfere     Christina Hobbs (co-founder & CEO,               we’re not willing to do that, then we
    by a number of experts from the UK and       family relationship was criminalised in    with numerous aspects of a victim-          Verve Super); and Rana Hussain                   need some really robust fact finding
                                                                                            survivor’s life, like visas, housing,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Smashing the taboo of
    Australia who work on the frontlines of      England and Wales in 2015, and Scotland                                                (diversity and inclusion consultant); they       in communities. We need to go out
    the domestic violence and law reform         introduced a similar offence in 2019.      financial support, childcare, and the       discussed how we can move towards a              to communities, go to them, have                  menopause in the workplace
    sectors. Part One of the series focused                                                 need to access legal support. For           cheaper, more accessible, equitable and          conversations with them and speak to
    on viewpoints from the UK, where             Members of the webinar panel               vulnerable individuals, all needs should    higher quality early childhood learning          them in the way they speak about these            VWT joined forces with Circle In and the
    coercive control has been criminalised       suggested that it is still too early to    be accounted for when creating a            system in Australia.                             issues … bring people and different               Chalice Foundation on Thursday 8 April
    for several years. Part Two switched         know the total impact that these laws      sustainable framework for combating                                                          perspectives to the table and do it
                                                                                            coercive control in Australia.                                                                                                                 to discuss menopause in the workplace.
    perspectives and considered what             have had on victim-survivors, although                                                 “At the age of 75, I am still lobbying           collectively.” – Rana Hussain
    criminalising coercive control might look    there was resounding agreement                                                         for universal, freely accessible early                                                             In this live streamed event, Mary Crooks
                                                                                              If this topic raise any issues for you,                                                                                                      AO (executive director, VWT) and Jane
                                                                                            �

    like in the Australian context.              that the laws had led to a greater                                                     childhood services as the best                      Watch the webinar and read the

                                                                                                                                                                                        �
                                                 awareness of coercive control within the   please contact:                             intervention, the best investment that           transcript: www.bit.ly/ThriveVWT                  Bennett (managing director, Chalice
    What is coercive control?                    community.                                                                             any nation can do for the future of its                                                            Foundation) and moderator Jodi
                                                                                            1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732                   economic and sustainable activities.” –          Celebrating the launch of                         Rosenthal (general manager, Circle In)
    Coercive control is a pattern of             What would coercive control legislation    Lifeline 13 11 14                           Fiona Stanley
                                                                                            Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636                                                                     Kate Ellis’ new book Sex, Lies                    spoke in depth about the menopausal
    dominating behaviour within a                look like in Australia?
    relationship that intends to undermine                                                                                              “The pandemic exposed some really                & Question Time                                   experience and its impact, the support
    someone’s sense of autonomy and              No Australian state or territory has       For more information, visit our list of     good sides to this country, but it                                                                 women are getting/not getting vs
    independence by isolating them from          comprehensively criminalised coercive      support services:                           exposed some real weaknesses. And one            We were thrilled to partner with the              what they need, some quick wins for
    support networks, exploiting them, and       control. Following the killings of         www.vwt.org.au/support-services/            of them is our childcare system.” – Mary         Readings Foundation on Tuesday 6 April
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           employers, and how to foster a culture
    regulating their everyday behaviour. It      Queensland woman Hannah Clarke                                                         Crooks                                           to support the launch of former MP Kate
                                                                                             Watch both webinars:                                                                        Ellis’ new book, Sex, Lies and Question           of openness.
                                                                                            �

    can include emotional abuse, threats,        and her three children in 2020, and
    intimidation, sexual coercion, financial     NSW dentist Dr Preethi Reddy in            www.bit.ly/LPCWebinarVWT                    The conversation urged the government            Time. Mary Crooks AO (executive
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Catch up on the live stream:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          �
    abuse and cyberstalking.                     2019, there has been a widespread                                                      to take action and invest in better early        director, VWT) moderated a virtual in
                                                                                                                                        childhood learning mechanisms in this            conversation with Kate Ellis, discussing          www.bit.ly/smashthetaboo
6                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             7
ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust
Mother’s Day
            — 50% off —

                                                        About Bloody Time: the Menstrual
                                                        Revolution We Have to Have
                                                        KAREN PICKERING & JANE BENNETT

                                                        $30 $15
                                                        For a limited time only, we are offering 50% off full price on
                                                        About Bloody Time: the Menstrual Revolution We Have to
                                                        Have. Every copy out there in the community helps to change
                                                        our menstrual culture for the better.

                                                        About Bloody Time makes the case for menstrual revolution
                                                        as an essential key to unlocking gender equality. Thousands
                                                        of women and girls shared their experience of menstruation
                                                        and menopause. The results were clear. Shame. Stigma.
                                                        Humiliation. Disgust. Negative attitudes are pervasive,
                                                        entrenched, and harmful.

                                                        This book digs deep into the menstrual taboo: where it exists,
Featuring testimonies from thousands of women and       how it came to be and why it’s so resilient. Our culture asks
girls; explanations of menstruation and menopause;      women and girls to view their bodies through a prism of
plus, new ways of thinking about menstrual wellbeing;   negativity and fear. We want to change that.
About Bloody Time helps women and girls to deeply
understand and trust their bodies, and giving them
important tools to challenge, and disrupt, the status
quo.                                                    For 50% off, use the discount code:
                                                        TIMELY21
“It is a great book, a great resource, from
the content through to the illustrations.”              Only available on the VWT Shop:
– Natasha Stott Despoja (UN Committee on                www.vwt.org.au/shop
the Elimination of Discrimination Against
Women Member)

“About Bloody Time should be on
                                                        Terms and conditions:
bookshelves everywhere: I only wish it had
been on mine when I was younger”                        * Offer ends Sunday 31 May 2021 at 11:59PM AEST
- Clementine Ford                                       * Discount excludes postage. 50% off applies to book only
ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust ISSUE #94 - Victorian Women's Trust
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