Extra funding for prevention initiatives to help stop violence before it happens

The Turnbull Government is providing an extra $13.8 million to Our Watch to fund a range of important initiatives to help stop violence before it happens.

Stopping violence before it happens is one of the national priority areas for action under the $100 million Third Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022.

Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, said Our Watch will deliver the initiatives as part of their role to drive cultural change within Australia.

“Our Watch is the lead organisation in Australia driving nationwide change in the culture, behaviours and power imbalances that lead to violence against women and their children,” he said.

“The Turnbull Government and Our Watch will continue their longstanding partnership to stop violence against women before it occurs, with this new $13.8 million contract.”

Funding includes:

• $3.3 million to help people take appropriate action to prevent violence against women and their children.
• $1.3 million to develop resources to raise awareness on the non-physical forms of violence, and the indicators that identify them.
• $200,000 to collaborate with Indigenous stakeholders, and develop a companion guide for Change the Story, a shared framework to address the causes of violence against women and their children in Australia.
• $3 million to deliver an evidence-based community awareness initiative to understand and counter the impact of pervasive pornography on young people, including image-based abuse.
• $4.5 million to extend The Line campaign to target diverse groups of young people.
• $1.5 million to work with the media to positively influence the way they report on and engage with victims of domestic, family and sexual violence.

Minister for Women, Senator Michaelia Cash, said this work will build on the highly successful Stop it at the Start campaign, launched by the Turnbull Government in 2016 which is part of vital long-term work to change social norms around disrespect and gender equality.

“The programs and initiatives funded by the Australian Government and delivered by Our Watch will build on the significant progress already made to reduce violence against women and their children,” Minister Cash said.

“Violence against women begins with disrespect.

“The Australian Government has invested in primary prevention activities that will address the attitudes and behaviours that excuse, justify and promote violence against women and their children.”

Visit plan4womenssafety.dss.gov.au for more information on the Third Action Plan.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000. For sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling services call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au