Stonnington Council and GLBT community renew their relationship addressing violence

// September 15th, 2009 // AVP news, Incidents, Within Victoria

AVP head Greg Adkins and Stonnington Council staff today met to renew the relationship between Stonnington and the GLBT community. Manager of the Police Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit, Scott Davis, was also in attendance.

The AVP had requested this meeting following documentation of violence against the GLBT community in the Chapel Street precinct of the South Yarra/Prahran area. Initial GLBT community concerns stemmed from a delay in information of the Stonnington Assaults making its way through Council processes. Council staff then initiated today’s meeting. The AVP will now present at the local Liquor Accord agenda meeting in October with a view to them meeting with the full Accord committee a week later.

AVP head Greg Adkins said that he looked forward to introducing the Accord to a trial project commencing later this week in partnership with local gay venues. “Heaven’s Door” owner Brian Frewin and the “Market” manager John Wain are part of a trial which will look at providing training for security staff to encourage and support patrons to report violence to police and then, when safe, to the Anti Violence Project via their online violence reporting process.

“The AVP is trialling signage for the venues supporting the reporting of violence and identifying the GLBT training that staff have undertaken. We hope to extend this into the current Brunswick hot-spot also as part of the trial,

“We will then encourage local government to come on board to take the initiative further to its next stage.”

2 Responses to “Stonnington Council and GLBT community renew their relationship addressing violence”

  1. Pete says:
    October 12, 2009 at 8:00 am

    We’ve seen the great posters up in the Market and Heavens Door, congrats! A good message about the clubs, police, AVP and all of us getting together to speak about violence and report it. Thanks.

  2. Scott Davis says:
    October 12, 2009 at 12:58 pm

    I agree Pete, the message is spot on. Responding to violence is everyone’s responsibility and only if everyone in the community takes it seriously can we start to reduce it. If you see something make sure you are safe then report it, to the police, the AVP or the venue, it might stop it happening to someone else

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