Preventing Violence Against Women and Children
WHGNE Plan
WHGNE have drawn from both the National and State action Plan’s in their work to prevent violence against women and children across the Hume region.
Vision: Women and children live free from violence in safe communities
WHGNE Strategic Goals
PRIMARY |
RESEARCH & |
SERVICE SUPPORT |
| Addressthe underlying conditions that influence women’s health | Research current and emerging issued affecting women | foster collaborative partnerships which improve the health outcomes of women |
| Read more… | Read more… | Read more… |
Current primary prevention objectives are:
- To increase knowledge and understanding of the determinants of violence and its gendered nature.
- To enable supportive environments that promote non-violent norms and equal respectful relationships
- To contribute to the evidence base to inform primary prevention responses.
In addition, and to compliment these objectives WHGNE received the “Reducing Violence against Women and their Children” grant from the Department of Justice, under the Crime Prevention program to develop a regional strategy (2013-2015).
The Hume Region Preventing Violence Against Women & Children (PVAWC) Strategy addresses the determinants of violence against women and builds the capacity of communities to take action. The strategy aims to address a range of issues, including:
- Promoting equal and respectful relationships between men and women at all levels
- Bring about structural and systemic organisational changes to promote gender equitable and non-violent cultures
- Build the capacity of individuals to take action on gender inequity and sexism
- Coordinate a region wide approach to preventing violence against women working across multiple sectors and key settings
The engagement initiative of this strategy is the Courageous Conversations campaign which invites individuals and organisations to commit to actions that promote gender equity and respectful relationships. Read more…
State Plan
The Victoria’s Action Plan to Address Violence against Women and Children – Everyone has a responsibility to act was launched in October 2012.
The plan reflects the Victorian Government’s commitment to preventing violence happening, holding perpetrators to account for their actions and providing support to women and children who experience violence.
Prevention
Prevention is at the core of the Action Plan, with an emphasis on educating and engaging the community to positively change attitudes and behaviours. A range of new programs will be established in schools, with the media, in workplaces and local communities to educate about and promote respectful and non-violent relationships and gender equity.
Early intervention
The plan has a strong focus on early intervention to support women and children at risk of violence. This includes extending training and skills development for workers in health services to help them identify family violence, and a project focused on families at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, due to family violence.
Response
More action will be taken to protect and empower women and children to rebuild their lives after experiencing violence, through initiatives such as expanded family violence counselling and case management and sexual assault counselling. Responding more effectively to violence against women and children also means getting tougher on perpetrators.
National Plan
The Commonwealth, state and territory governments worked with the community to develop a 12-yearNational Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan).
Released in 2011, the National Plan explains what we are doing to reduce violence against women and their children. Its vision is that:
- Australian women and their children live free from violence in safe communities.
Over 12 years the National Plan aims to achieve:
- A significant and sustained reduction in violence against women and their children.
The National Plan focuses on stopping violence before it happens in the first place, supporting women who have experienced violence, stopping men from committing violence, and building the evidence base so that we learn more about ‘what works’ in reducing domestic and family violence and sexual assault. Four Action Plans will be developed and build on each other over 12 years.
