Doome to • v10 ence

The statistics of violence against women are staggering; more awareness will ensure prevention of such crimes

As. I write this article, International Women's Day has recemly come to an end. This day h igh.Lights tbe many issues women of all age groups face in our community. It is also a day d1at celebrates women who bave Stood for equa.Lity and paved the way for ocher women today

The most imp ortant: issue and one that needs attention is domestic v io lence. Sadly, one in every three women in Austra.Lia have been subjected to physical violence, and one in five women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15. Violence against women and their children often takes many forms. Ic can be in ti mate partne r vio lence, sexual assaul t, sexual harassment and rape. \~o me n often know their pe r petrarors , who could be their husband, father or a relative Perpetrators commit this crime co control through fear and in doing so, place che safety of women and children at risk.

We have no othe r choice bm to empower women and stop the violence against them and their children It is preventable

The Foundation to Prevem

Violence Against \)(/omen and their Children chaired by Former Democrats Senator Natasha Storr Despoja J\11,f, is working to raise awareness and engage the community into action to prevem such v io le nce This is an important step as currently there is no oth er national body in Australia working to engage in this issue.

The YWCA is an organisatio n that seeks to engage and empower women both nationally and internationally. It has the proud distinction of being the ,vorld's o ldest and largest wome n 's membership movement, having started in Britain in 1855 during the industrial revolution to provide housing and protection for women moving to the c ity from r ural areas.

Today, the Y\\/'CA works Jn more than 120 countries, reaching 25 million women and girls annually.

Chelsea Lewis, Commtmications Manager at YWCA Adelaide says, "T he organisation bears all kinds of stories which ran ge from expetiences of domestic vio lence, rape and sexual assault, rac ism, sexism, lad, of workplace oppo r tunities and pregnancy related discrimination, to trying to find a work/life balance and whether or not to h ave ch ildten.

Our annual 'Sbe Speaks' survey reveals that many young women do not feel su pported by cultures, structures and the community at large, to become mothers and maintain a meaningful career".

There are many issues facing women i n A us tralia and some of these include ade9uace leadership representation in Parliaments, pn boards of companies and in b ig businesses. Th e gender equality gap is not yet: closed between men and wom en's pay, with wo m en on average earning approximately $250.70 per week less than men. \~'hen compared wi th equivalent nations li ke New Zeal.and, the US, Canada and Sout h Africa, Australi a has the lowest percentage of women on boards.

·'The YWCA works with all women - inc luding young women - in its programs and serv ices, and engages women from all backgrounds in its advocacy work," exp lains Chelsea. "Three of the most common issues we have come across in our work w itb migrant women is .racism - in all areas of life, but in particular during job application processes; issues around feeling pressu re to conform ro western body image ideals and lack of diverse role mode ls; and the experience of feeling caught between two cul tures. Man)' yo ung women report a sense of being pulled in diffe.rem directions and are crying co find their own place. They want to respect and maintain their cul tural connections, and often and grandparents in this regard, but also want to develop their own sen se of identity and try to navigate between these desires," she adds.

YWCA of Adelaide has a currem focus on young women's leaders h ip providing advocacy, programs and services for yo ung women. l e also has eacly intervention and primary prevention progran1s which influence the outcomes of young women's leaders h ip.

The \Xlorld '{\'</CA based in Geneva, is one of the most reputable women 's organisations working at the gl obal level in areas such as the Human Rights Commission, and has a significant presen ce at the annual Commission on the Status of \'\/omen.

Despite the strong work of this organisation and many more across the nation, violence and i.n equa.Lity remains.

Historically, ir has taken both genders to stand u p against in equa.Liry and violence against wom en and chi.l dren. le can only be said that this will remain the pathway co address violence exper ienced b y women in their homes, workplaces and society i.n general

1here are YWGil's all 011er Allgirls, young women 1111d women are e11co11raged to co1111ect to their /oral YW01. Sexual assault, domestir a11d family tiiolence helpline I 800 RESPECT-1800 737732