Creating Change

This directory has been compiled as an information resource, and the inclusion of links to the following websites does not indicate endorsement of their content by wsas

More Information can be found in our Research Section

The Following Links are bookmarked further down the page

Introduction

Campaigns

Websites to assist women creating change

International websites working for change

Working with the media and politicians

Contacting a Politician

Media Contacts

Currently there are significant problems for women who are escaping domestic violence and child abuse The research indicates that mothers who have left violent relationships are most at risk of experiencing difficulty in achieving safety for themselves and their children in negotiating children’s matters after separation in the context of current system provisions. Women are still experiencing continuing exposures of their children to violence.

Survivors of violence and abuse begin recovery from a cessation of exposure to danger and the need to re-establish safety. However, women who are continually being re-exposed to danger both directly and through their children are in the difficult position of being unable to recover or to achieve safety when the criminal justice, child protection and family law systems have not stopped their exposure to violence and abuse.

Resources and approaches need to be further developed and accessible to improve responses to the needs of women and their families subjected to violence and abuse.

We encourage women, individually and collectively to use this section for information about how to lobby for changes in how systems respond to domestic violence and child abuse, and advocate for the full protection of women and children from violence and abuse.

Campaigns

Abuse Free Contact Campaign

The Abuse Free Contact Campaign was established because of concerns about the inadequacies of the Family Court system in protecting women and children from ongoing domestic violence and child abuse.

Child protection issues: There are serious gaps in child protection in Family Law as identified by the Family Court Magellan Project and the Family Law Council.  This includes problems in the relationship between Family Court and State Welfare system.

Family Court interim hearings: It has been identified that currently within the Court there exists a presumption of contact, and at interim hearings contact is almost always ordered. Often this is because there is limited time available to produce evidence of domestic violence and child abuse. Once an interim order for contact is made a status quo of contact is established and it is more difficult to have contact stopped at a later stage in Family Court proceedings.

Legal Aid Funding: The absence of adequate legal aid for family law, particularly for cases involving allegations of violence There are problems in women being refused legal aid or legal aid funding is limited and runs out before the finalisation of the case.

The Abuse Free Contact Campaign is advocating for:

1) A change to the Family Law Act to prioritise the safety of children and women escaping violence/abuse as the threshold determinant of a child's best interests in cases involving allegations of violence.

2) The introduction of a rebuttable presumption of no contact where there are allegations of violence established on the balance probabilities (similar to the NZ Guardianship Act). Persons found on the basis of civil proof to have used violence would have to show why they were safe before contact was allowed.

3) Adequate federal funds to be given to the relevant agencies to implement Project Magellan across the nation and to implement the recommendations of the Family Law Council 2002 on Child Protection.

4) The scrapping of any proposal of presumption of shared parenting post separation.

5) An increase in legal aid funding where there are allegations of domestic violence and/or child abuse. 

6) The development of support groups for women involved in the Family Court system and referral points for women. 

The Abuse Free Contact Campaign is a national campaign by a coalition of interested groups, individuals and organisations to address the problems arising for women and children escaping violence and abuse.

You can download the NAFCC Briefing Paper Here - PDF

16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women

The 16 days of Activism is an annual world-wide event. Now in its 12th year, it attracts individuals and organisations that raise awareness of all forms of violence against women.

The annual 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women Campaign has been an organising strategy by individuals and groups from around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women.
The 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including December 1, World AIDS Day, December 3, International Day of People with a DisAbility.

For more information visit the Centre against Sexual Assault website by clicking on the links below.

CASA House

http://www.secasa.com.au/conference/

http://www.rwh.org.au/casa/index.cfm?doc_id=4652

http://www.wire.org.au/information/activism/documents/16days.html

National Abuse Free Contact Campaign

A National (and international) coalition of Women's Organisations campaigning for safety for women and children post separation in family law. Link to briefing paper …

CAMPAIGN FOR SAFETY AND JUSTICE FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN FAMILY LAW

great information on current issues in  family law from the NSW Women’s Refuge Resource Centre can be found  here

 

Websites to assist women creating change

NCSMC National Council Of Single Mothers and their children website:

The National Council for Single Mothers and their Children (NCSMC) is a self help group to fight for the basic and essential rights of all sole parent families. The NCSMC was formed to act as a national voice for the existing network of state based councils in Australia www.ncsmc.org.au

The (Single Mother’s ) Useful Box:

A delightful and inspirational collection of tips and tricks contributed by an extraordinary group of women. http://www.ncsmc.org.au/usefulbox/ 

The Victorian Family Law Coalition:

http://www.vflc.org -  working for women and children.

To promote the rights of women and children in family law

To uphold the International Human Rights Conventions that protect
the rights of women and children

To advocate for and support a family law system that enables
positive outcomes for women and children

To promote the rights and well-being of women and children in
diverse families

To advocate for the best interests of the child in determining
post-separation parenting arrangements

To support the rights of victims of domestic violence and child
abuse in family law processes and outcomes

To challenge the misconception that family law processes and
outcomes favour women

To advocate for reform of relevant legislation, policy and practice,
in order to prevent the impoverishment of women and children,
post-separation.

National Women's Justice Coalition (NWJC):

The NWJC promotes Women's legal equality by awareness raising, coordinating and lobbying on Women's justice issues and by building networks and facilitating the work of individuals and groups. The NWJC focuses on promoting Women's legal equality at a national level, but advises and provides networking and technical assistance to State groups and others on State and local issues. http://www.nwjc.org.au/ 

National networks of women’s legal services –position paper on the child custody arrangements 

Coalition for a feminist agenda:

are a coalition of feminist women committed to working with like-minded others to create a new and fairer global agenda, with Women's voices at its centre. We believe that a feminist analysis is essential to developing an agenda which can deliver justice and human rights for all. http://www.feministagenda.org.au/

Report on Political Action by Australian Feminists : 22-24 March 2004 : Parliament House, Canberra

Four Australian feminists, all members of the f-agenda email discussion list, descended on Parliament House, Canberra, on Monday 22 March to begin three days of intensive lobbying on behalf of Australian women. We invite you to read their detailed Report.

http://www.feministagenda.org.au/specialEvents.htm

WESNET The Women's Services Network 

WESNET is Australia's peak women's organisation working to eliminate domestic and family violence, "Our vision is to ensure that all women and children can live free of domestic and family violence"
email: wesnet@wesnet.org.au
web: www.wesnet.org.au

A self-help organisation run by single mothers for single mothers. CSMC aims to promote the understanding and acceptance of single mothers and their children so they will be free from economic, social and legal discrimination and prejudice.

mail csmc@csmc.org.au

Internet www.csmc.org.

Women’s Electoral Lobby Australia:

 ‘WEL’ is a national independent political organisation dedicated to creating a society where Women's participation and potential are unrestricted, acknowledged and respected and where women and men share equally in society's responsibilities and rewards. http://www.wel.org.au/index.htm

Women's Rights Action Network Australia (WRANA):

WRANA aims to facilitate Australian activism for the promotion and protection of Women's human rights in domestic and international arenas through: education and training for Australian women to ensure that national and international human rights mechanisms are accessible, understandable and relevant in the lives of Australian women; training for Australian women to enable their participation in national and international human rights machineries; advocacy for effective national and international mechanisms for the promotion and protection of Women's human rights within Australian and more broadly; and; documentation and raising awareness of Women's human rights violations and abuses within Australia. http://home.vicnet.net.au/~wrana/ 

Disability Advocacy Organisations

Disability Rights - Australia.

http://e-bility.com/links/advocacy.php

Women With Disabilities Australia:

WWDA operates as both a national Women's organisation and a national disability advocacy organisation. This means that WWDA often works on policy and program areas that affect women, and on policy and program areas that affect people with a disability. http://www.wwda.org.au/

Child protection campaigns

NAPCAN - Napcan works across Australia to prevent child abuse and neglect and promote the well-being of children. All of us, including parents & caregivers, professionals, neighbors, workmates, families and friends, are needed to protect the children in our communities. their site to help prevent child abuse

Visit Marie-Claire’s ‘Child Abuse: Stopping It Starts With Us’ campaign website www.stopit.com.au and commit your name to stopping child abuse

International Women's Day:

Information on how International Women's day originated. http://www.wire.org.au/information/activism/documents/international_Women's_day.html

Bigger Picture for our Human Rights Campaign - Aims to raise a better understanding between the broader community and the Ngarrindjeri Nation; publicise more information about the Ngarrindjeri people, their culture, law; Lifestyle, right to their Nation, land, spiritual and cultural beliefs; air grievances of the Ngarrindjeri people over their treatment by the English government; overcome hardships inflicted on and affecting the Ngarrindjeri people. For more information:
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~rmclc/BIGGERPICTURE.htm

The Complete Activist website

This site is for workers in community legal centres and other individuals and groups who are involved in community advocacy, or campaigning, on social justice and human rights issues in Australia
http://www.naclc.org.au/activist/

Fitzroy Legal Service - Activism Links

Australian   child   protection   alliance

 http://users.hunterlink.net.au/~derf/acpa/index.htm

Disability Action Inc

Advocacy training courses, available through distance education:

Ph. (08) 8346 8288 or 1800 805 495 (Distance Ed - Tel: 08) 8648 8755

www.ozemail.com.au/~disactn/da6.html

Social Change

Media Information on publications related to social change; how to use the media effectively; online campaigning, tips for lobbying and so forth www.media.socialchange.net.au

Probono Australia

Information and courses on fundraising and resourcing for the non-profit sector. Includes free e-mail bulletin with tips for fundraisers and information sharing. www.probonoaustralia.com

International websites working for change

Women's Human Rights Resources

http://www.law-lib.utoronto.ca/diana/mainpage.htm

Part of the University of Toronto Law Library website, covers women’s human rights resources extensively. Articles, documents and links are listed and abstracted for a wide range of topics areas including violence against women, indigenous issues, reproductive rights, education, equality, feminist theory, slavery and trafficking, race and gender issues and the girl child.

Amnesty International

http://www.amnesty.org  Main website for Amnesty International provides links to information on worldwide activities and news, campaign reports, appeals to stop torture and ways to get involved. Also see the campaign against torture website at http://www.stoptorture.org.

Commission on Human Rights http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/commission/thematic51/42.htm
Site for the first report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women to the Commission on Human Rights. Details development of mechanisms for enforcing and promoting women’s human rights and outlines standards applied to the concept of due diligence.

Preliminary report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, in accordance with Commission on Human Rights resolution 1994/45.

Working with the media and politicians

Working with the media-  Catching the attention of the media fact sheet
www.yapa.org.au/facts/media.pdf

Writing a media release Cooper PR
http://www.cooperpr.com.au/media2.htm

Physical Disability Council of NSW
www.pdcnsw.org.au/resources/96/write.editor.html

Campaigning  from home

Greenpeace webpage
 http://www.greenpeace.org.au/getactive/happen/polit.html

The humane society International website
 http://www.hsi.org.au/how_you_can_help/Letter_Writing.htm

Contacting a Politician

Writing to and meeting Members of Parliament
http://www.aph.gov.au/

The Senate

Senators' E-Mail Addresses (or alternative contact details) http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/senators/email.htm

Senators by state
http://www. aph.gov.au/senate/senators/homepages/si-state.htm

Prime Minister
Hon John Howard MP, Prime Minister of Australia
web: http://www.pm.gov.au/

House of Representatives

State list
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/mi-state.asp

Email list
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/Email.asp

Media Contacts

Radio National
1800 802 341 

Major/National Papers

The Australian
www.theaustralian.news.com.au
editor - the australian
Ph:  (02) 92883000 Fax: (02) 9288 2250

Sydney Morning Herald
www.smh.com.au
letters@smh.com.au
Ph:  (02) 92821569 Fax:  (02) 9282 3492

The Sun Herald
www.sunherald.com.au
shnews@mail.fairfax.com.au 
Ph:  (02) 92821679   Fax: (02) 9282 2151

The Age
www.theage.com.au
letters@theage.com.au
Ph:  (03) 96004211Fax:  (03) 9601 2414

The Canberra Times
www.canberra.yourguide.com.au/home.asp
Ph:  (02) 62802122

The Australian Financial Review
www.afr.com
http://afr.com/misc/feedback.html

The Daily Telegraph
www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au
letters@dailytelegraph.com.au
Ph:  (02) 92883000 Fax:  (02) 9288 2300

The Weekly Times
www.theweeklytimes.news.com.au/ 
wtimes@hwt.newsltd.com.au
Ph:  (03) 92922672  Fax: (03) 9292 2697

Your Guide (160 local newspapers)
www.yourguide.com.au/yourguide.asp 

Independent News Group Online
www.inews.net.au/ 

McPherson Media Group
www.newspapers.mcmedia.com.au/index.asp?pub=FIN