Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It might have looked like any other breakfast, but this morning’s event at Women’s Health Loddon Mallee was part of a global effort to help advance efforts towards a more gender inclusive world.
Today is International Women’s Day – a time to celebrate the achievements of women, and to highlight the need for further advancements.
Women’s Health Loddon Mallee executive officer Tricia Currie said it was a great time to think about what we can do as individuals and as a community to achieve gender equity.
“We know that gender inequality is both a cause and a consequence of violence against women,” she said.
“As such, gender inequality is internationally recognised as a key underpinning driver of violence against women and continues to affect women at all stages, and in all areas of their lives.”
About 95 per cent of all victims of violence in Australia report a male perpetrator – including other men.
Though men are more likely to experience violence by other men in public places, peak prevention organisation Our Watch states that women are more likely to experience from men they know, often in the home.
Women are at least three times more likely than men to experience violence from an intimate partner.
Of those women who experience violence, more than half have children in their care.
Kyneton was among eight locations nationwide in which Lifeline provided domestic and family violence response training to mark International Women’s Day.
The training was offered for more than 150 health, allied health and other frontline community workers from Cairns to Perth.
Lifeline Australia chief executive officer Pete Shmigel said the coordinated training day was about strengthening communities from within.
One in three women subjected to domestic and family violence is likely to attempt suicide.
“We hope to send a message that there are important steps the community can take – and is taking – to tackle a culture of disrespect and violence, as well as to promote help seeking to appropriate support services,” Mr Shmigel said.
“While services like 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) and Lifeline’s own 13 11 14 crisis line provide heartwarming 24/7 support to women subjected to domestic or family violence, we know that a whole-of-community approach is absolutely vital.”