On 29 May, 200 leaders, policy makers and professionals working to prevent violence against women gathered in RMIT’s Storey Hall to examine the course of Victoria’s 20 year respectful relationships journey and where it might take us.
What began as grassroots work, carried out by passionate individuals across the state, gained momentum over time and Victoria is now 18 months into rolling out a world-first, government-led primary prevention of violence against women program across the education system.
We wanted to bring together everyone in a room to discuss how the successes and challenges of this program can inform large scale violence prevention action outside of education and into other realms.
So what did we learn?
1. Response needs to be considered and integrated into prevention work from the beginning
Prevention and response work shares a common goal – to end violence against women – and we know that a robust response system is essential to supporting the disclosures that are inevitably made when we undertake primary prevention work. This means considering response from the very beginning when designing any prevention work, planning for the increased demand, and ensuring it is properly resourced.
.@dvrcv’s #PVAW Achieving Generational Change Conference looks at the intersection between primary prevention and the flow-on effects to response. How do we plan for that as a sector? What infrastructure is currently in place? This panel is nailing it. #PVAWcon2018 pic.twitter.com/fFgT6EiRSx
— Camille (@CamilleGierck) May 29, 2018
2. A feminist approach is critical
The evidence tells us that talking about ‘respect’ or ‘safety’ or ‘ethics’ in a general sense won’t result in a reduction in the prevalence of violence against women. The only thing that will ultimately achieve that change is prevention activities that address the four gendered drivers of violence. And that means maintaining a gendered lens.
Feminist agenda is essential because gendered violence will not disappear until masculinity is reconfigured within a pro feminist framework – Jeremy Ludowyke #PVAWcon18
— Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (@dvrcv) May 29, 2018
3. Resistance and backlash are inevitable
Backlash comes with social change. We need to be continually mindful of the risk aversion that can follow the implementation of a prevention activity. DVRCV has created a series of videos unpacking resistance practitioners encounter in their respectful relationships and prevention of violence against women work
4. Tailor the model to the scale
We know it’s important to tailor the program to the audience but it’s just as important to configure the model to the scale of delivery.
In the space of a couple of years we’ve jumped from 19 schools to 1000. Every school is different, every principal is different. The reality of this scale changes the model – Cara Gleeson @OurWatchAus #PVAWcon2018
— Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (@dvrcv) May 29, 2018
This means making sure that the infrastructure exists across systems and that frameworks, language and advocacy is consistent.
Challenge for developing #pvaw architecture across systems (workplace, sport, government, etc) needs consistent framework, language and advocacy – Lyn Walker #PVAWcon18
— Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (@dvrcv) May 29, 2018
5. Work with the middle
A small portion of your audience will be supportive champions from the beginning, put them to work! A minority will resist, don’t focus too much time on them. Most people will fall somewhere in the middle and that’s where to put your energy.
Video recordings from Achieving Generational Change will be available shortly.
