Archive for January, 2015

Happy 18th Birthday to us!

// January 20th, 2015 // No Comments » // AVP news, Media discussion, Within Australia, Within Victoria

We want to invite you to a birthday. Its ours!

Instead of bringing presents, we want your words.

Eighteen years ago today, the Anti-Violence Project had its foundation public meeting at the Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men’s Health Centre in South Yarra and we incorporated as an independent community-led peak organisation. Since then, we’ve had many hours of many people’s lives dedicated towards educating and changing our society and making it a safer place for same-sex attracted and gender diverse people and the diverse LGBTi communities. We’ve supported victims and survivors of violence, challenged homophobia whenever and where ever it reared its ugly head, negotiated with governments, developed policies with opposition parties.  We’ve taken your reports of prejudice motivated crime and homophobic violence, spent many hours around tables and walking pathways in parks with police and even walked people through police station doors to help with the first handshake leading to a violence report.

But despite all that, without you, our work now and into the future wouldn’t happen.

To mark our 18th birthday, we want you to share your stories with us.

What was important for you in dealing with violence during the last 18 years? How have your lives been impacted? What has changed? What have been the successes and what is important for you now as you look ahead?

We’re going to publish your views here and in the AVP’s social media sites.

Come join us for our 18th birthday!

(Greg, Lauren and Jayne, directors, Anti-Violence Project of Victoria Inc.)