Archive for Within Victoria

Melbourne Chechnya Vigil – Federation Square 16 May 2017 – 6pm-7pm

// May 11th, 2017 // No Comments » // Around the globe, Within Victoria

Grace

A community candlelight vigil is being held on the evening of Tuesday 16 May 2017, 6pm to 7pm at Federation Square, Melbourne CBD.

The AVP encourages Melbourne’s LGBTI community and allies to attend to demonstrate solidarity and support for the gay and bi men who have been abducted, tortured and killed in Chechnya and their friends and loved ones who’s lives are currently in grave danger.

The vigil is being held the night before the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBiT) on Wednesday 17 May.

Check out the event via its organisers Facebook link here: http://www.facebook.com/events/747603342089387

Bring an electronic candle & wear something pink!

VicPOL GLLO show returns as a podcast to JOY 94.9

// May 7th, 2017 // No Comments » // Media discussion, Within Victoria

Grace

The GLLOs are back on-air! It’s been around five years since the Victoria Police GLLOs previously hosted THE GLLO SHOW with the Anti-Violence Project and Crimestoppers on JOY 94.9. Now the GLLOs are back as an exclusive JOY podcast!

This week Sergeant Scott Davis and Leading Senior Constable Gabby Tyacke are back, joined by Victoria Police Community (LGBTI) Portfolio Manager Dahni Houseman. Check them out here: http://www.joy.org.au/theglloshow or via the iTunes podcast directory or your favourite podcast app.

Return each week for the next podcast!

SURVEY – Perceptions of police, crime reporting and feelings of safety

// May 6th, 2017 // No Comments » // Research, Within Australia, Within Victoria

The Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (VGLRL) asked festival goers at the 2017 Midsumma and Chill-Out festivals to complete a community survey with part of the survey focusing on perceptions and experiences of Victoria Police. They’ve now put this survey online and would love to get a good response from the community.

VGLRL are interested in hearing from you about your perceptions of the police, reporting of crimes and how safe you feel.
We at the AVP urge you to help the VGLRL better serve our community by completing their short survey so we all can understand what issues are important to you.

As one of the key rights-focused lobby groups in Victoria, alongside TGV, the VGLRL will use this information to proactively champion LGBTI rights, concerns and influence the way the police work with our community.

The 5 minutes you spend visiting https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VGLRL2017 will be some of the most important minutes you ever contribute to community!

Minus 18 new IDAHOT initiative – get involved!

// April 19th, 2017 // No Comments » // Within Victoria

IDAHOT
International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) is less than a month away and Minus 18 have created an IDAHOBIT Team and developed a handy guide on how to celebrate in your school or workplace. Check it out: http://www.idahobit.org.au

Moment of Silence and Vigil – Post Pride March 2017, Cantani Gardens 

// January 29th, 2017 // No Comments » // Within Victoria

Post Pride March festivities at Catani Gardens today will see the introduction of a moment of silence and vigil performance, a new Pride March tradition that pays homage to all queer peoples who have suffered violence because of their gender or sexuality. For 2017, this will be performed by Deborah Cheetham AO, celebrated Yorta Yorta soprano, actor, composer and playwright. 

The Anti-Violence Project congratulates Midsumma on their initiative and asks all at Pride March to report homophobic and trans/bi-phobic harassment and prejudice motivated violence each and every time it occurs. Call police 000 and when safe contact the AVP https://antiviolence.info/report-violence 

Seeking support

// January 23rd, 2017 // No Comments » // Within Australia, Within Victoria

If you or anyone you know needs help:

Qlife 3pm-midnight 1800 184 527

Lifeline on 13 11 14

Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800

MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978

Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467

Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36

Headspace on 1800 650 89

If you’re in danger, call police 000.

Find the location, name & contact number of your local GLLO (Police LGBTI liaison officer via our VicAVP site https://antiviolence.info/violence-map/

When safe, make a violence report to the AVP https://antiviolence.info/report-violence/

Leadership, personal experience and protecting Safe Schools – Harriet Shing MLC

// November 28th, 2016 // No Comments » // Media discussion, Within Australia, Within Victoria

Grace

We share with you a wonderful speech by Harriet Shing MLC in the Legislative Council at the Parliament of Victoria (October 26, 2016) in support of the Safe Schools program as the first out LGBT member of state parliament responding to a motion to remove the Safe Schools program from schools.

Harriet says “(there have been) other women who have been in this Parliament and other women who are in public office who, like people throughout society, have gone their entire lives hiding themselves from the world, hiding themselves from the reflections that they see in the mirror, living lives which may seem to put a somewhat tolerable skin on it on one level but which do not truly reflect who they are on another.

She uses her personal experience to unpack what she sees and that which we agree is enormously challenging for parents to do when their children come out as same sex attracted or gender diverse, that is to look their child in the eye, hear them out and say to them that they love them anyway — that they love them unconditionally.

“That is not always the case”, Ms Shing told Parliament, “It is also not always the case that children are accepting of the other, that children can understand the importance of being accepting and respectful, that children understand the importance of the fact that sex, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and religion — personal characteristics, the essence of who somebody is — are not and should not ever be considered to be causes of derision or contempt or isolation or exclusion or bullying”.

She then unpacks the issues surrounding discrimination of LGBTI children, looks at the guidance and support the Safe Schools program provides these children and those around them and then discusses her own personal experience of being accepted for who she is by a vast majority of people she deals with in her role as an MP yet “having said that, there are a number who do not (accept my sexuality)”.

Ms Shing says “that number is small, but it is very, very vocal, and that number is prone to being vicious on occasion. That number is prone to telling me that I am an abomination, that I am a disgrace and that I should be ashamed, and so in standing here today I refuse to be an abomination, I refuse to be a disgrace and I refuse to be ashamed. But in doing that I note that it has got to be happening to kids in secondary school because if it is happening to me as an elected member of Parliament, if it happens to me in my workplace and it happens to me out in the broader community, then it has got to be happening in our playgrounds and it has got to be happening at our bus stops, and I know it is happening in our workplaces”.

The Anti-Violence Project takes the view that Safe Schools is much needed program addressing homophobic harassment and bullying in schools however a social policy vacuum exists outside the school gate where prejudice and homophobia (including trans/bi-phobia) are passed from generation to generation through families. Schools must be safe places for students; homes, streets and society must be safe places for all same sex attracted and gender diverse people. As a =n out member of parliament and an Anbassador for the Safe Schools Program, Harriet Shing shines a light on the work needed to shift our society on both sides of the school gate.

Read the complete Harriet Shing speech in support of the Safe Schools program here:
http://hansard.parliament.vic.gov.au/isysquery/c2cfa5c3-e733-4088-8360-adac11d64e34/2/doc/
or via her personal website here:
http://www.harrietshing.com.au/news/you-are-okay-exactly-as-you-are-harriet-speaks-out-in-parliament-about-bullying-having-respect-for-all-people-and-safe-schools/3/

Premier Daniel Andrews full apology for old laws criminalising homosexual behaviour

// May 24th, 2016 // No Comments » // AVP news, Elders past and present, Media discussion, Within Australia, Within Victoria

“For a future that is strong and fair and just!” – Hon Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria, May 24, 2016.

“Challenging some of the fundamental imbalances that today still stop gay men from reporting violence & harassment!” – Greg Adkins JP, executive director, Anti-Violence Project of Victoria Inc.

“(The) Apology is a powerful symbolic act to repair the harm caused by unjust laws & affirm the value of sexual difference” – Anna Brown, director Advocacy & Strategic Litigation, Human Rights Law Centre

Homophobes & bigots limber-up for the AFL’s Pride Round – are they a dying breed or on the rise in society?

// April 30th, 2016 // No Comments » // Media discussion, Research, Sport, Within Australia, Within Victoria

Grace

While homophobes and bigots attempt to make Aussie Rules Football the latest battleground in their fight against marriage equality, targeting St Kilda and Sydney AFL Football Clubs in a campaign to derail the AFL’s first Pride match in June, the unanswered question is “Are they a dying breed or increasing in numbers?”

Public support for marriage equality has dramatically risen. But just how rampant is homophobia in the sports-attending population; have hearts and minds changed? If so, by how much; if not, why not?

Research from 2005 revealed Melbourne’s Inner City to be least homophobic (14 per cent) and the Outer South & East suburbs the most. Outside Victoria, the study identified the three most and three least homophobic areas of Australia. Overall the most homophobic areas were the Moreton area of country Queensland (excluding the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast), Central/South-West Queensland and the Burnie/Western district of Tasmania where 50 per cent believed homosexuality is immoral.

Following Melbourne’s Inner City as least homophobic Australian metropolitan areas were Central Perth (21 per cent) and Central Melbourne (26 per cent).

The Anti-Violence Project is encouraging the AFL, LGBTI community organisations and the state government to use the pending AFL Pride match in June to see how much has changed in the hearts and minds of people leaving their suburban lounge-rooms to attend AFL football matches around the nation since the 2005 research.

Read more about homophobic flyers, targeting marriage equality and the AFL’s Pride match, left on spectators’ cars outside the VFL game between Sandringham and Footscray last weekend. The flyers were headlined: “Children deserve a mother and father”, here: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-season-2016-st-kilda-sydney-targeted-in-protest-against-afls-first-gay-pride-game-20160429-goi52g.html