Community organisations receive the first action grants under the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children

Two Victorian community organisations will be the first to receive funding as part of the Government’s National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022.

The National Plan brings together the efforts of governments across the nation to make a real and sustained reduction in the levels of violence against women. The Australian Government has committed more than $86 million in funding to support the implementation of the plan.

The Minister for the Status of Women, Kate Ellis today announced that inTouch Multicultural Centre against Family Violence and the Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre would share in a total of $472,000 over the next three years.

“We know that reducing violence is not something that the Government cannot do alone, which is why it is so important that we work with community organisations on the ground to promote respectful relationships and ensure that women can live lives free of violence,” Ms Ellis said.

“All forms of violence against women are unacceptable – in any community and in any culture – and it is everyone’s responsibility to reject and prevent violence,” Ms Ellis said.

“These grants will support activities that prevent, respond to, and speak out against violence, change community attitudes and behaviours, and encourage community responsibility to support the reduction of violence against women.

The Australian Government has committed $3.75 million for Community Action Grants, which will be distributed amongst 17 community and sporting organisations across the country.

A range of funded projects will support different communities, with these two Victorian projects specifically targeting culturally and linguistically diverse communities, one of the grant’s priority groups.

InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence will receive $249,784 to support its work with Indian, Sudanese, Vietnamese and Croatian communities across Victoria, in acting to prevent violence against women. Through this project, community leaders will engage with each community through tailored education activities on prevention of family violence.

InTouch Chair, Faye Spiteri said that it is her organisation’s goal to break the cycle of family violence and be at the forefront of facilitating this type of social change through direct community engagement and maintaining a culturally responsive and holistic approach.

“This project will demonstrate how strategic partnerships between government, not-for-profit organisations and the community can achieve long-term positive social outcomes and give families and communities hope for a better future,” she said.

The Australian Government will also fund Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre a total of $223,149 to implement its Healthy Relationships in a New Culture project for newly arrived Sudanese, Somali, Indian and Iraqi (including Arabic, Assyrian/Chaldean, Kurdish) communities in the Darebin area.

“This innovative project will support the development of curriculum and other culturally relevant information, including lessons on the importance of healthy and respectful relationships,” Ms Ellis said.

Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre Acting CEO, Hutch Hussein, welcomed the funding saying that “the project will involve community leaders becoming ambassadors and ensure more respectful relationships in the community.

“Community leaders will participate in courses to assist in fostering change in attitudes and behaviour relating to violence against women, by building on their existing skills around negotiation, communication and conflict resolution,” Ms Hussein said.

Ms Ellis commended both inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence and Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre in being long-standing advocates on this serious issue in our communities, and these grants will support them to lead and support social change.

“Changing community attitudes is a long-term challenge. By working together and challenging the attitudes and behaviours that allow violence to occur, all levels of government are saying a very loud “no” to violence,” Ms Ellis said.

A copy of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 is available from www.fahcsia.gov.au.