COMMUNITY sector agencies responding to family violence have spoken to the challenges of allocating resources to prevention while facing increased demand for services.
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Representatives from the Centre for Non-Violence, Loddon Campaspe Centre Against Sexual Assault, Housing Justice and the Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre formed a family violence-themed panel on the final day of the Community Sector Showcase.
The two-day showcase provided an opportunity for industry and community members to learn more about the sector’s work.
Attendees at Wednesday morning’s panel were curious about how the agencies worked together to respond to family violence; how their services became known to people who were not involved in the sector; and about staffing.
The CNV mentioned a prevention and development team in its response to a query for the panel about balancing response services with efforts to address the drivers of family violence.
Education and advocacy were components of the work done by agencies such as the Centre Against Sexual Assault and the community legal centre.
But LCCLC acting manager Lindy Harland the centre was primarily a response service.
Loddon Campaspe CASA mentioned a strong crisis response lens, but said the centre’s work in the preventative space was developing and ongoing.
Annie North chief executive Julie Oberin reiterated the importance of addressing the drivers of violence against women and their children in her address on the state of the sector, which followed the panel discussion.
She said it had been another horrific year for women in Australia, with about two women a week murdered and many more hospitalised as a result of violence.
Police in Australia were called to a family violence incident every two minutes, on average, Ms Oberin said.
“We have to stop it. It’s not okay,” she said.
She said condoning violence against women underpinned the perpetuation of violence, and challenging gender inequality was key to prevention.
That involved supporting women’s independence and decision-making, breaking down rigid gender stereotypes, and promoting respectful relationships.
“It’s up to all of us,” Ms Oberin said.
She said the efforts of those in the room to promote gender equality in their professional and private lives needed to be backed up by policy.
This year’s Community Sector Showcase came in the context of a rising demand for services.
More than a quarter of the 23,516 people who sought help from the city’s 10 leading not-for-profit community sector organisations in the past financial year were women who had experienced family violence or sexual assault.
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