1. 1

2. State-wide crisis line providing 24 hour counselling, support and information for women and their children
Referral to refuges and outreach services
Information and support to family and friends
Emergency interim accommodation
Accommodation options for women and their children
Media Advocacy Project

3. Violence against women - Key determinants
Gender Inequality
An adherence to rigidly defined gender roles expressed institutionally, culturally, organisationally and individually (VicHealth 2007).
Community attitudes that condone violence as a means of settling disputes, that support (or provide weak sanctions against) violence against women, and that support ‘the privacy of the Family’ (VicHealth 2007).

4. Providing women’s perspective and lived experience
Women as advocates, rather than ‘victims’ – Giving voice to women’s strength
Challenging stereotypes by providing diverse voices
Passionate, authentic and engaging
Making statistics real: Real women, real experience research (not just research findings or statistics) – Connecting
with people to change attitudes
Local or comparative
(matching up speakers
with audience)

5. 2012 Project funded in 2007 by Vichealth
Initial phase: Recruited 14 women
Now in phase III - Funding extended until 2014
2012
WD administers a central
pool of approximately 40
advocates
The Eastern Media
Advocacy Project (pilot)
Training pilot
Our project was one of 32 primary prevention projects that received funding from VicHealth in 2007We wanted to make women feel safe about speaking out.
We wanted to encourage women to become advocates for all women and children
We wanted women to learn how to be able to speak about family violence yet not re-traumatise themselves, put themselves in danger or feel uncomfortable
We wanted women to feel comfortable with public speaking
We wanted women to feel in control when speaking to the media
We wanted to become a reliable, professional “GO TO” service, that the media and other organisations could approach for media comment.
We wanted to work with women to develop key messages as a means of influencing the wider community.

8. Speechwriting and public speaking Media techniques Practical exercises

9. Family violence is only about black eyes and broken bones
Family violence is a private family matter – it’s none of our business
No one can help
He only hurts her when he is drunk, he is stressed, he is depressed etc
He is still a good Dad.
It’s only because he loves her, he is jealous, he want to know where she is.
She must have asked for it, she pushes his buttons, it was her fault.
It can’t be that bad or she would just leave.

13. Key messages:
“Everyone can help to prevent violence
against women by interrupting or
intervening into
sexist or violent
attitudes and
behaviours”
“We can build a
community that is
free from violence”