SESSION EIGHT ROAD TO RESPECT LEARNING ABOUT DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES

The benefits of learning about refugee communities for the worker This can be used to:  Establish better collaboration and communication with partners.  Enable active participation on local matters that deal with refugee and migrant community’s issues. and migrant community’s issues.  Allow us access to information, relevant date issues which will assist in our work assist in our work  Support and inform the work of refugee support services such as the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS), the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS), community organisations & volunteers who work with the community organisations & volunteers who work with the communities. communities. 72

The benefits of workers learning about communities for the refugees themselves The process can:  Show cultural respect as we provide the refugees the opportunity, the right, to tell us about their cultural background, values and the right, to tell us about their cultural background, values and beliefs beliefs  Be an empowering process for refugees, enabling confidence and pride through the sharing of knowledge, experience, skills, and pride through the sharing of knowledge, experience, skills, support and advice. support and advice.  Demonstrate respect and equality, as it recognises the right of all people to contribute to the social, political and economic life all people to contribute to the social, political and economic life of Australia, free from discrimination, including on the of Australia, free from discrimination, including on the grounds of race, culture, religion, language, location, gender grounds of race, culture, religion, language, location, gender or place of birth. or place of birth. 73

If we are to respond adequately to support refugee women affected by domestic violence, we need to understand the cultural, historical, social and political factors associated with the abuse Dispelling myths and excuses for violence, and liberating women from self blame for domestic violence, are universally important approaches for empowering women. As a result, cultural and historical awareness is a critical part of debunking excuses for violence affecting refugee women during resettlement. Refugee Communities and Domestic Violence Susan Rees