10 Dec, 2014
Australia holds national summit to curb “endemic” domestic violence
Canberra, 8 December 2014 – The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator Michaelia Cash today delivered the opening address for the inaugural National Domestic Violence Summit, emphasising that all Australians have a role to play in changing the attitudes that create and sustain the endemic culture of violence in Australia.
“Ensuring the whole community works together – from the grassroots level to the highest echelons – is vital if we are to see a decrease in domestic violence incidents in Australia,” Minister Cash said.
“The National Domestic Violence Summit is a leading example of governments and the community sector working together to deliver a whole-of-community approach to addressing violence. The summit is an opportunity for governments, academia, service delivery agencies, and the not-for-profit sector to share best practice approaches to preventing and reducing violence against women and children and strengthen domestic violence strategies in Australia.”
On 27 June 2014, Prime Minister Tony Abbott MP launched the Second Action Plan under the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022. The Coalition Government is making a significant investment to reduce – and ultimately eliminate – violence against women and children, providing more than $100 million over the next four years to support the Second Action Plan.
“The Second Action Plan has a strong focus on delivering tangible benefits for women and communities that have diverse experiences of violence – this includes a concerted focus on Indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse women and women with disability,” Minister Cash said.
“It is intolerable that in Australia one in three women will experience physical violence and one in five will experience sexual assault in their lifetime. Whilst Australia has been heralded internationally as a leader on dealing with violence against women, it is also recognised that the level of domestic violence in our society is endemic.
“That is why a national and coordinated approach is fundamental to making sustained and meaningful progress. Only by working together with government, media, community and civil society organisations can we change community attitudes about gender equality and promote a nation-wide change in the culture, behaviour and attitudes that underpin violence against women.
“Together, we can make a real change and eliminate family violence, once and for all.”
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