YES We Can End violence against women by strengthening prevention through education

1. YES We Can End violence against women by strengthening prevention through education Prepared by the Anglicans Promoting Respectful Relationships Project Committee Anglican Diocese of Melbourne May 2012

2. ‘I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’ John 10:10 YES We Can End violence against women by strengthening prevention through education

3. Christiansbelieve human beings are created in the likeness of God, which demands a concern for the dignity and inherent rights of men, women and children • The cornerstone of Christian belief is the example of the life of Jesus Christ, who demonstrated high regard for the dignity of women, respected them, and entrusted them with his mission • Living Christian faith warrants ending all forms of violence • Anglican communities are the right people to address violence, a crisis that threatens the preservation of our Christian principles Biblical Imperative

4. The purpose of our workshop is to raise awareness about violence against women in our communities and the role Anglican leaders can play to facilitate violence prevention Our focus today

5. Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service (Victoria) 1800 015 188 • Men’s Referral Service ( Victoria) 1800 065 973 • State Wide Sexual Assault Crisis Line (Victoria) 1800 806 292 Referral Information

6. At the end of this workshop you will be able to: • Accurately describe gender based violence • Understand what primary prevention of violence against women involves • Describe 3 determinants of gender based violence • Understand the purpose and how to access the resources in the Promoting Equal and Respectful Relationships in Faith Communities: A Manual and Tool Kit • Understand the purpose of the Anglican Peer Mentor Program and pathways to involvement Workshop Objectives

7. WHAT IS GENDER BASED VIOLENCE? (GBV) The term gender-based violence is an umbrella term for any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will, and that is based on socially-ascribed (gender) differences between males and females. While GBV is usually targeted at women and girls, boys and men may also be survivors of GBV. GBV can occur within the family or community and, is perpetrated by persons in positions of power. Key Term

8. FORMS OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE • Physical abuse • Financial abuse • Property damage • Social isolation • Emotional abuse • Spiritual abuse • Threats What is violence against women?

9. Primary prevention seeks to prevent violence against women before it occurs in the first instance Strategies which do not have a focus on violence but address its underlying causes, such as, adherence to rigid gender stereotypes and unequal power relations between men and women, are primary prevention strategies What is primary Prevention?

10. A woman is killed in Australia almost every week by a partner or ex-partner • More than 1 in 3 Australian women (34%) who have had an intimate partner, have experienced violence from a partner or ex-partner • 31% of women who experienced physical violence in the past 12 months were assaulted by a current and/or previous partner, compared to 4.4% of men • An estimated 1 in 4 children and young people have witnessed violence against their mother or step-mother. Key facts and statistics on the prevalence of violence against women(Source: www.evas.org.au)

11. The Impact of the Problem(WHO 2002; VicHealth 2004; KPMG 2009) • Women exposed to violence risk developing health problems including: anxiety, depression, pain syndromes and phobias • For women under 45, intimate partner violence contributes more to their poor health and death than any other risk factor, including high blood pressure, obesity and smoking • 1 in 4 Victorian children have witnessed intimate partner violence. This exposure increases their risk of mental health, behavioral and learning difficulties in the short term, and of developing mental health problems later in life • Violence against women and their children cost the Australian economy $13.6 billion in 2008-09. If there is no reduction in current rates, it will cost the economy an estimated $15.6 billion by 2021-22 Why focus on violence against women?

12. Australia identified 3 factors that determine its prevalence • Unequal power relations between men and women • Rigid gender stereotyping of women and men • Tolerance of violence in popular culture (VicHealth 2012) Why does violence against women occur?

13. The determinants are capable of being easily changed, making violence against women preventable They link to the two goals set out in the International Anglican Women’s Network which reports to the Anglican Consultative Council They are: 1. The elimination of all forms of violence against women and children 2. The promotion of gender equality throughout the Anglican communion Why does violence against women occur?

14. Why does violence against women occur? DETERMINANT 1 Unequal power relations between men and women

15. Determinant 1 Unequal Power Relationships Between Men and Women Research shows that ‘violence supportive attitudes’ are more likely to exist in cultures where unequal power relations and rigid gender roles between men and women exist (WHO 2004) Contributing factors to violence against women?

16. Using inappropriate male power at an individual level • He acts like he is the boss • He acts like she is a slave for him • He acts like the master of his castle • She must ask him to do anything • He is teaching her about his power and control Contributing factors to violence against women DETERMINANT 1 Unequal Power Relations between men and women

17. Factors which affect attitudes to violence against women across society • Tolerance of violence in our society • A link between viewing of pornography and electronic games which demean/degrade women • Structural barriers and institutionalised discrimination • Use of the media to perpetuate myths and reduce empathy for victims Contributing factors to violence against women DETERMINANT 1 Unequal power relations between men and women

18. Sandra Bem • Sandra Bem (1993) identifies three common beliefs about women and men in western society and that these beliefs have led to rigid stereotypes • Women and men have basically different psychological and sexual natures; • Men, are the superior, dominant gender; • Gender differences and male superiority are natural Determinant 2 Rigid gender Stereotypes of men and women

19. Determinant 2Rigid gender stereotypes Rigid stereotypes of Australian men

20. Why violence against women? Rigid stereotypes limit the range of behavior considered acceptable for women

21. Costs in Terms of Psychological Well-Being and Relationships Determinant 2Rigid Gender Stereotypes Research has found that MEN who adopt a rigid masculine gender role: Are more likely to be upset if their wives earn more money than they do; Are less likely to be comfortable with child care; Are less likely to ask for help when they need it; Are less likely to be sympathetic and tender; Are less likely to be tolerant of their spouses’ faults

22. Costs in Terms of Psychological Well-Being and Relationships Determinant 2Rigid Gender Stereotypes Research has found WOMEN who adopt a rigid feminine gender role: Appear to have lower self-esteem; Are less capable of bouncing back from failure; Are more likely to believe that women are to be seen and not heard; Are more likely to conform to group pressure

23. Advertising has been called: ‘The most influential institution of socialisation in modern society. Advertising as a cultural form displays a preoccupation with gender that is hardly matched in any other genre’ (SutJhally, 2007). Determinant 3Tolerance of Violence in Popular Culture

24. What is noticeable in more recent ads is the level of sexual violence. Determinant 3: Tolerance of Violence in Popular Culture Calvin Klein Autumn/Winter Collection 2010

25. Determinant 3Tolerance of Violence in popular culture

26. PAIRS MINI PLENARY How has what’s been talked about here impacted on you?

27. A Clergy Resource:ideas for infusing primary prevention into your ministry

28. YES We Can End violence against women by strengthening prevention through education

29. YES We Can End violence against women by strengthening prevention through education

30. What Happens Next?

31. What happends next?

32. What happends next?

33. What happens next?

34. Complete and send off the ‘register your interest form’ in the Anglican Peer Mentor Brochure Register your interest on line www. melbourneanglican. com. au Contact the Project Coordinator to talk to members of your parish about their involvement bodde@bigpond.com.au Want to find out more?

35. PAIRS MINI PLENARY What actions will I take to pursue this matter?

36. THANK YOU For participating in this workshop. We’d like to know what you thought about it and if it was helpful to you. You do not need to give your name Please use the form being circulated to provide your feedback about your experience YES We Can End violence against women by strengthening prevention through education

37. YES We Can End violence against women by strengthening prevention through education PVAW Theological Resources for Anglican Parishes, Chaplaincies, Schools & Agencies www.melbourne.anglican.com

38. With Special Thanks to Our Community Partners Funding for the Prevention of Violence Against Women workshop, which includes the Anglican Peer Mentor Program, has kindly been provided by Anglicare Victoria and VicHealth and developed by the Anglicans Promoting Respectful Relationships Project Committee with assistance from LifeWorks Acknowledgements