Inspiring Inclusivity this International Women's Day
Message from our CEO
In our first newsletter for the year we are recognising two special events that are very important to us at Justice Support Centre - International Women’s Day on 8 March and Domestic Violence Prevention Month in May. As we mark International Women's Day with the theme, "Inspiring Inclusivity," it's important to acknowledge both the strides we've made and the hurdles that remain.
For us at JSC, Domestic Violence (DV) and empowering women is not just a single date or month, but rather a daily part of the work we do. At Justice Support Centre, we're committed to raising awareness, providing support, and advocating for change. We are proud that we supported over 10 thousand people last year - people whose lives were forever changed because of the work we did in ensuring women and children live free of domestic and family violence and providing access to justice.
While we celebrate women's achievements both in our community and globally, we must also confront statistics that emphasise the urgent need for awareness and continued education about domestic violence attitudes.
*The National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey (NCAS) exposed distressing revelations:
- 25% of respondents believed that women who stay with abusive partners bear some responsibility for the violence's continuation. This victim-blaming perpetuates an abusive cycle, making it harder for survivors to seek help and escape.
- 34% of respondents agreed that false sexual assault accusations were common to retaliate against men. These misconceptions undermine survivors' experiences and hinder efforts to combat sexual violence.
- 23% believed that domestic violence was a normal response to everyday stress.
- 19% of respondents thought that a woman could provoke a man to hit her unintentionally due to anger.
- 15% saw no harm in sexist jokes, with 41% believing that many women misinterpret innocent remarks as sexist. This perception reflects a lack of empathy and understanding of the daily challenges women face.
These statistics underscore the need to address not only the prevalence of domestic violence but also the deep-seated attitudes that perpetuate it. On International Women’s Day and in May during Domestic Violence Prevention Month it is important to recognise that there is urgent work to do, and we can all play a part. Collectively we can all work toward inspiring inclusivity by challenging these harmful beliefs and fostering a society where women are respected and protected.
In the spirit of celebrating women's achievements and overcoming domestic violence, we invite you to explore our first newsletter of the year. Inside, you'll discover inspiring stories about our dedicated team and the impactful work we're doing in the community.
*(Coumarelos et al. 2023).
https://www.aihw.gov.au/family-domestic-and-sexual-violence/resources/fdsv-summary
Melanie Noden, CEO of Justice Support Centre
Inspiring Inclusivity
When women aren't present, we must ask: "If not, why not?"
When women are discriminated against, we must call out poor practice.
When the treatment of women is not equitable, we must take action.
And we must do this each time, every time.
With well over a century of history and change, the first International Women's Day (IWD) was held in March 1911 with a commitment to forging women's equality.
There are many ways we at Justice Support Centre work to ensure the needs, interests and aspirations of women are valued and included such as:
- recruiting, retaining and developing female talent
- offering FREE support services for women and their children experiencing domestic and family violence
- offering FREE access to Legal Services to women
- providing essential services supporting the safety of women and children through our Bankstown Domestic Violence Service (BDVS) and Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) program
offering FREE training, workshops and information resources for women and members of the community.
For International Women's Day 2024 and beyond, we at Justice Support Centre support and strive to Inspire Inclusion. When women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment.
*Feature Image obtained from IWD website public resources page
An update from our Domestic And Family Violence (DFV) Casework Team
Supporting our clients through challenges
Our Domestic Family Violence (DFV) Casework Services team has observed notable trends this quarter. With living costs on the rise, more clients are presenting in financial crisis situations, struggling to cover even basic living costs. It also hinders their access to essential services due to travel and petrol expenses. Additionally, there has been a concerning increase in cases of technology abuse and misconceptions surrounding religious abuse and financial control.
Despite these challenges, our DFV Casework Teams at Justice Support Centre remain dedicated to providing tangible support to our clients. From safety planning and provision of buddy bags to providing shopping cards to purchase food, clothing, and other essential items, we ensure that individuals impacted by DFV receive comprehensive assistance tailored to their needs. Moreover, we actively advocate for clients' needs with external agencies, such as housing providers, and provide referrals to appropriate support services such as psychological and financial counselling.
A highlight of the DFV Casework Services efforts this financial year underscores our commitment to empowering clients. With over 331 women, 39 First Nations women, and 122 CALD women supported in our intensive casework services, along with 57 children, our DFV Casework team has made a significant impact. Notably, over $38,500 in funding has been provided across areas, facilitating safety upgrades, essential purchases, and support for necessary appointments. As the DFV Casework team continues to provide support, these statistics serve as a testament to the stoic dedication towards supporting women and children affected by DFV and fostering positive outcomes within the community.
Farewell to Peter Multari after 20 years
Sadly, 2024 marks Peter Multari beginning a new chapter after 20-years with Justice Support Centre.
Peter has been an inspiration to his team and within the community. Since 2003, Peter has led the legal service providing free legal and DV services. Not many people stay in a challenging role like this for so long, and Peter has tirelessly connected our community to the limited public funding available for free legal services and our team of lawyers to provide better support for victim-survivors of DFV.
Said Peter, "There is something special about working for an organisation and a community of colleagues and stakeholders motivated and driven by an honourable vision for our society. I am so thankful to have been a part of the Justice Support Centre journey. It has afforded me many enriching and nourishing relationships and connections, which have fuelled and sustained my enthusiasm and commitment".
During his tenure, among many other innovative initiatives, Peter introduced training for all legal staff on trauma-informed practice and how to help women and children access support from the VSS so they can recover from violence. He also launched an outreach at the Liverpool Local Court so that more victim-survivors could access this kind of support.
We commend you Peter on your inspiring service and wish you all the very best.
Announcement of Principal Solicitor and Assistant Principal Solicitor
We are thrilled to welcome Liz Simpson as our new Principal Solicitor. Liz comes highly recommended by a number of Principal Solicitors of other Community Legal Centres (CLC). Liz has extensive leadership experience across the CLC sector and currently at Legal Aid. She is seen as a great leader, lawyer and advocate and shares our values.
Farah Rainey, a Senior Solicitor who has been with us for over eight years, has been appointed as our new Assistant Principal Solicitor. We love that one of our own is stepping up to this senior role.
It's our Control to end Coercive Control.
Your support makes a big difference.
Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month is an annual event held each May to raise community awareness of the social and personal impacts of domestic and family violence and the support available to those affected.
Preventing Domestic Violence is not just one month for us at Justice Support Centre, it's every day.
Our Court Advocacy services (WDVCAS) in Sydney and South West Sydney assist women and children navigating Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) proceedings, ensuring they have necessary information and experience minimal stress. We strive for their safety and appropriate outcomes, offering access to counseling and legal support.
In South West Sydney, we have received around 4,947 referrals from Jan-Oct 2023. There has been significant increase in the complexity of referrals received with Liverpool remaining our busiest LGA. The Fairfield Co-location Pilot has proven to be highly successful, supporting 63 women and forging relationships with local Police.
In Sydney, our Caseworkers also help with Centrelink payments and support international students in re-engaging with education and finding employment. Just over $400,000 has been claimed for our clients in various emergency payments during the period June 2023 to Feb 2024.
Did you know?
Clients may be entitled to a Crisis Assistance payment, however this payment must be applied for within seven days of the incident.
One client shared with us:
“Whenever I entered the Downing Centre, I never felt alone, thanks to the support of your team. I felt genuinely looked after and supported at every step of the way. Your presence and assistance made a significant difference, and I'm deeply thankful for all your efforts.
Your donations to Justice Support Centre directly benefit women, children, and those facing legal issues. We deeply appreciate your continued support.
A Testimonial: Keeping Women Safe
A client was referred to our Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) program in May 2023 due to domestic violence assessed as being ‘Serious Threat’.
Throughout the nine months the client was supported, she became more receptive to counselling, actively engaging in sessions and building a positive rapport with her counsellor. She expressed feeling more open to and confident in reporting to Police should further incidences occur. She stated she was more aware of supports available which she had previously not known were there, was confident in referring herself in the future if needed and had a better understanding of the court system and no longer felt she needed a support person to attend appointments and access supports.
When closing the file, the client became emotional stating “it is sad, you supported me through a pivotal, scary part of my life … you were there for me through such a bad part of my life and that made it good”, “you supported when there was no one else to do it and I can't thank you enough for that".
