New Rural and Regional Project underway
// June 6th, 2011 // AVP news, Within Victoria
A project worker has commenced at the Anti-Violence Project of Victoria Inc. (AVP) to progress the AVP’s new initiative which aims to link GLBT & allied community state-wide to address, connect and respond to homophobia and the violence that comes from it in Rural and Regional cities and towns.
Project worker Zhitian Zhang has commenced developing this new and innovative initiative which will see Rural & Regional Victoria linked through a network of individuals who will support people experiencing homophobic harassment, prejudice and hate motivated crime, and encourage and support them to access the AVP and report their experiences.
The project aims to link local individuals from Rural and Regional locations into a state-wide network to provide individual reporting support while further developing systems to share information. Growing existing support structure and developing a network of new supports where none currently exist, is an additional priority aim underpinning this new AVP project.
AVP also intends to further enhance relationships between Victoria Police Gay & Lesbian Liaison Officers (GLLOs), general duties Police members based in rural and regional locations and the GLBT community that lives alongside them.
In the process, the known data collected by AVP on homophobic harassment, prejudice and hate motivated violence and crime will be expanded. AVP executive director Greg Adkins said “we are confident that momentum gained from this new AVP project will fit well with the new Victoria Police Prejudice and Hate Motivated Crime Strategy which they are shortly to launch.”
The first “phase” of work will see the AVP lead discussions across the Victorian rural and regional communities in developing a name for the project and initiating connections between individuals keen to participate as local “champions” in their home town or city.
Keen to become involved? Perhaps in your local town or city? Want more information?
Contact Zhitian at the AVP by emailing him at zhitian@antiviolence.info
(This project was announced as part of the International Day Against Homophobia 2011, on May 17th)
