Leadership opportunities for Indigenous women in Santa Teresa

Minister for the Status of Women, Kate Ellis and Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon have today announced $120,000 to support Indigenous women and children in Santa Teresa in the Northern Territory.

Tomorrow Ms Ellis will visit the Santa Teresa community and meet with local Indigenous women to discuss the progress of the Australian Government’s National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children and listen to their stories.

“In this country, one in three women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15 and almost one in five has experienced sexual violence,” Ms Ellis said.

“Sadly the statistics are even worse in Indigenous communities, with Indigenous women and girls 35 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence assaults than non-Indigenous women.”

Mr Snowdon, who is also the Member for Lingiari, said that the funding will make a real difference for Indigenous women living in Santa Teresa.

“The funding will enable the Ltyente Apurte Women’s Centre to refurbish a building in the community where local Indigenous women and children can meet and work together to develop a range of women’s support programs.

“The Centre will become a base for delivering remote services that support the needs of the women and children in the local community and empowering them to deal with experiences of domestic violence,” he said.

The refurbished building will be used for a range of community activities, such as health education workshops, respite from difficult domestic circumstances, specialised alcohol and substance misuse education.

The Centre will also offer local Indigenous women training in skills such as parenting, education in sexual health and hygiene, relationship skills, mediation, conflict resolution, cultural adaptation, social problem solving and counselling.

Earlier this year Minister Ellis launched the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children Plan 2010-2022. The National Plan brings together the efforts of government across the nation to make a real and sustained reduction in the levels of violence against women and their children.

“We can’t keep sweeping issues of family violence under the carpet,” Ms Ellis said.

“We need to turn the harrowing statistics around so that all Australian women, no matter where they live and no matter what their culture, are able to lead lives that are safe and free from violence.”