Gender Stereotypes Need Addressing - Report

Addressing gender stereotypes and promoting changes in attitudes is crucial to preventing violence against women and their children, according to a recent report.

Resulting from an extensive national consultation process, the Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children report, led by Chair Natasha Stott Despoja, found that the most frequently raised issue was the importance of addressing underlying gender inequality in order to stem the prevalence of violence against women.

“In Australia, one in three women have experienced physical violence and almost one in five have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15,” Foundation Chief Executive Officer Paul Linossier said.

“The facts speak for themselves and are completely unacceptable. Violence against women has major personal, social and economic costs.

“The consultation process highlighted that in order to end violence against women we must address inequalities in power, challenge gender stereotypes and promote behavioural and attitudinal changes so that this issue is no longer justified, excused or hidden.

“Addressing this issue is going to require lasting generational change and the Foundation will use the findings of the report to shape our long term strategy.”

According to the report, areas for the Foundation will consider in planning future directions are:

• development of a comprehensive strategic framework and approach articulating very clearly the purpose, goals and strategies and clear outcomes the Foundation seeks to achieve. The framework needs to have a clear agenda for addressing gender inequality, be multifaceted, and align with and augment the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, indicate linkages with other relevant organisations and their efforts and delineate clearly the limits of the role of the Foundation;

• use of the key determinants of violence and strategies to address these to inform the strategic framework for action of the Foundation;

• articulation of the theoretical basis within a cohesive theory of change and a clear logic model which underpins each of the chosen strategies;

• development of a comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategy as a critical element of the strategic framework with an initial stakeholder/ activity mapping process and ongoing engagement with the broader community; and

• consideration of potential supporters including government and corporate funding opportunities.

The Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and their children is a Not for Profit organisation working to raise awareness and engage the community in action to prevent violence against women and their children.

Full publication: Report of the National Consultations