antiviolence.info

Last day for registrations – First National LGBTIQ Domestic Violence Conference

// September 6th, 2011 // No Comments » // Media discussion, Within Australia

Today (Tuesday 13 September) is the last day to register for the First National LGBTIQ Domestic Violence Conference to be held in Sydney on Friday 16 September.

This Conference is an unique platform focusing on domestic violence in LGBTIQ relationships (both across Australia and including international perspectives).  Conference themes and the impacts of social and cultural inclusion and diversity for LGBTIQ people and their families who are (or have ever) experienced domestic violence. The aim is to influence systemic change by working towards an inclusive national model of practice for working with people of diverse sex, sexuality and gender.
The conference will explore the diversity of LGBTIQ communities and experiences, successful domestic violence prevention programs and initiatives and current service delivery barriers and gaps for people of diverse sex, sexuality and/or gender. The conference will also provide opportunities to build on past achievements, network and share ideas. It is anticipated that as a result, conference attendees will become better equipped to meet the specific needs of LGBTIQ communities and individuals affected by domestic and family violence.

The conference is being organised by the NSW LGBTIQ Domestic Violence Interagency Working Group. This group includes representatives from government and community organisations working to prevent domestic violence in LGBTIQ communities and/or providing services to affected individuals and/or their families.

http://www.anothercloset.com.au/lgbtiq-dv-conference/ target=”_blank”

Stand Out launched

// July 22nd, 2011 // No Comments » // Media discussion, Within Australia, Within Victoria

The Safe Schools Coalition has partnered with Minus 18 to produce a series of resources to tackle homophobia in schools

VicAVP on Facebook

// July 20th, 2011 // No Comments » // Around the globe, AVP news, Within Australia, Within Victoria

VicAVP (Anti-Violence Project of Victoria Inc.)
By Greg Adkins  |  View on Facebook

The Anti-Violence Project of Victoria Inc. (VicAVP) is the peak GLBT community organisation in Victoria leading discussion on violence and its impacts within and against the community state-wide. We’re volunteer based and not-for-profit and reach our 15th year of operation on January 20th, 2012. AVP is endorsed by the Australian Tax Office for Charity Tax Concession and classed as a Charitable Organisation.
Three great projects underway:-
(1) Violence reporting through our website http://antiviolence.info
(2) "About Face" - challenging what makes us different and what makes us the same - body image racism and a whole lot more - contact aboutface@antiviolence.info to hear more..
(3) Our Rural-Regional Connect project identifying champions or local advocates in rural/regional towns and linking them into facilitiating local access to VicAVP for people living in the same or nearby towns. Email zhitian@antiviolence.info to get involved!... See full description

Soften the Fck Up – www.softenthefckup.com.au

// July 19th, 2011 // No Comments » // Media discussion, Within Australia

This campaign targets young men at risk of suicide. Its great, but it does come with a LANGUAGE WARNING.

MindOUT Survey – LAST DAYS!

// May 11th, 2011 // No Comments » // Research, Within Australia

Dear Alliance members, associates, and friends,

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

The MindOUT survey is coming to a close.  Mental health and Suicide Prevention played a huge part in this week’s federal budget which makes it even more important for you to have your say in how to develop frameworks and services for the LGBTI community.  The surveys are open till Friday  - so complete the survey for yourself and for your organisation
Remember MindOUT is the first national LGBTI mental health and suicide prevention project in Australia.

And It’s for ALL of us in, or connected with, the LGBTI community – young, old, friends and in-betweens!

So CLICK HERE  or go to http://www.lgbthealth.org.au/mindout

The good news…

Since we mentioned that 1588 community members had completed the community member survey a further 200 have got on board!   Fantastic effort – but with only a few days to go we need more response to to reach our 2,000 target.

We especially need more responses from south Australia, Tasmania and Northern territory – if you know people there – send it OUT!

So, how can I help?

Yep, there are a few…..
1.   Complete the LGBTI Community survey at www.lgbthealth.org.au/mindout
2.   Complete the community member survey yourself – it should only take 10 – 15 minutes
3.   Tell your friends, staff, colleagues about it and encourage them to complete
4.   Distribute, distribute –  please use your networks to get this message out before the end of the week.

Thanks for your assistance,
Craig Gear

National survey of GLBT Health and Wellbeing

// February 4th, 2011 // No Comments » // Research, Within Australia

Private Lives 2 is an on-line survey of the health and wellbeing of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Australians.

Undertaken by Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria, in partnership with the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, LaTrobe University, Private Lives 2 aims to be the largest and most comprehensive assessment of the health of Australian GLBT communities to date.

Private Lives 2 will revisit many of the questions used in the original survey (2005) to see if and how things have changed for GLBT people. It will include questions on physical and mental health and wellbeing, use of health services, alcohol and drug use, the impact of legislative reforms, including recognition of same sex relationships, GLBTI people’s experiences of discrimination and their connections to family, friends and community.

The survey will have a greater emphasis on GLBT mental health and depression and will include questions looking at the impact of social connection, including the use of the Internet, on GLBT people’s wellbeing.

It will only take 20 minutes to complete. Find out more & get involved via www.privatelivessurvey.org.au

Visionary leadership shown in Brumby government’s vision for the GLBTI community

// October 26th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // AVP news, Media discussion, Within Australia, Within Victoria

The Anti-Violence Project of Victoria (AVP) welcomes state premier John Brumby’s announcement of major social policy initiatives supporting GLBTI community as visionary and ground breaking.

AVP head Greg Adkins said “If Mr Brumby is successfully re-elected at the 27 November state election, the $2.5million next-stage of the Labor government’s decade long commitment to celebrating diversity and ending discrimination and violence in our society will deliver:

• The establishment of a whole-of-government advisory committee on GLBTI issues
• Provision of $200,000 over four years to the Anti-Violence Project of Victoria to support victims of homophobia and help GLBTI people to report physical or verbal abuse or harassment
• An investment of $100,000 in a campaign to reduce homophobic harassment and highlight the contribution of GLBTI communities in Victoria
• Strengthening of laws against homophobic harassment

In addition a re-elected Brumby Labor Government would continue its support for same-sex attracted youth by:

• Providing $320,000 over four years to build on a pilot project to help combat homophobia in schools. This project, delivered through Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria, would develop and distribute quality resources to schools, provide professional development to staff to support students and school communities, help develop a whole-of-school approach to combating homophobia, and help develop students’ own networks and further builds on work by the government which is already underway;
• Establishing a $500,000 grants program over four years to help 10 projects a year provide a safe space for same-sex attracted youth, informal mentoring and peer support; and
• Investing $500,000 in a partnership with Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria, Sane and Headspace to train health professionals in helping same-sex attracted youth at risk of suicide

Further to this, the GLBTI community will be asked to step-up and determine what its “voice” would look like and where the provision of a GLBTI community voice will find a home, after the Brumby Government committed a further $100,000 a year for four years for a GLBTI peak body to represent the interests and act on behalf of the community.

The Anti-Violence Project notes that the Premier’s announcement is the first ever of this magnitude by a head of an Australian state or federal government setting-out a plan to deliver state-wide social policy initiatives to ensure that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals and communities are (in the Premier’s words) “safe, valued and respected.”

“Brumby’s GLBTI policy initiatives are further evidence that the ground has shifted politically in Victoria.  The AVP invite all other political parties to come on-board to support the Labor government’s  leadership in seeking to provide more support and a real voice for the GLBTI community.

Read the complete announcement from the Premier: More support and a real voice for the GLBTI community.

National Anti-Violence Collaboration established.

// April 29th, 2010 // No Comments » // Within Australia

The opening day of the 7th Health-in-Difference Conference (HiD) saw the establishment of a National Anti-Violence Collaboration.

In a session under the “Community: Changing Nature of Our Relationships” stream, people from all Australian states and territories fleshed out the framework to begin the national collaboration and will use the focussing point of the National GLBT Health Alliance as the collecting and enabling point.

Victoria’s Anti-Violence Project head Greg Adkins and NSW Anti-Violence Project’s Robert Knapman worked together to facilitate the session at the HiD Conference and this will start a process which will further share information and expertise around the nation.

International Day Against Homophobia is coming

// April 1st, 2010 // No Comments » // Around the globe, AVP news, Within Australia, Within Victoria

Today around 80 countries in the world still criminalise homosexuality and condemn consensual same-sex acts with imprisonment. Of these, nine (Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen) still have the death penalty. Discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation and gender identity is still not recognised formally by the member states of the United Nations (even though human rights mechanisms such as the Human Rights Committee have repeatedly condemned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity). This video comes care of ILGA.

Beyond ‘That’s So Gay’: Challenging Homophobia in Australian Schools

// January 20th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Media discussion, Within Australia, Within Victoria

Author of the soon to be published book “Beyond ‘That’s So Gay’: Challenging Homophobia in Australian Schools” has updated his website and is preparing for a national challenging homophobia tour of regional Australia. The AVP will the watch Daniel Whitthaus’ forthcoming book launch and tour with great interest and keep you up-to-date here.

Daniel’s website www.thatssogay.com.au is a great resource that will keep you up to date about the national tour and his book. He even has a detailed, downloadable tour calendar and ideas on how best to get involved and other promotional materials. Even more details about how to register in local areas will come online at the start of February.

You can also find Daniel through his Facebook Group for the tour – put ‘thats so gay tour’ in the search function.

For more information please contact:-
Daniel Witthaus
Beyond ‘That’s So Gay’
A National Challenging Homophobia Tour
web: www.thatssogay.com.auphone: +61 (0) 431 157 957