What's new in the field of adult sexual assault
This page aims to keep you up-to-date with "what's new" at the Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault and in the field of adult sexual assault in the last three months.
- Calendar of events: 16 days of activism
16 November 2009
The 16 days of activism against gender violence is a global campaign to raise awareness about violence against women. Download the calendar of events from Amnesty International and the Women's Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services (WA). - Ministers meet to discuss national response to violence against women and their children
13 November 2009
Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek and Attorney-General Robert McClelland have met with their state and territory counterparts to discuss progress on national efforts to reduce violence against women. Earlier this year the Australian Government released Time for Action, the major report of the National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. Governments are currently working together to develop a National Plan to be released next year. The report makes recommendations designed to tackle the unacceptable levels of sexual assault and domestic and family violence in Australia. Read the media release to find out more about the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women. - Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
6 November 2009
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the international human rights treaty for women, was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly 30 years ago, on 18 December 1979. The Convention's 30th Anniversary provides an occasion to celebrate its near-universal ratification, as well as the recent progress that has been made at the national level to implement CEDAW and make true gains for women's and girls' rights on a practical, everyday level. To find out more about CEDAW, access their website. - Campaign to Stop Violence Against Women
4 November 2009
On Friday the 20th of November in Melbourne, Amnesty International Secretary General, Irene Khan, will discuss the campaign, Stop Violence Against Women. This event is open to the public, with limited spaces. More information is available from Amnesty International. - The Body of the Nation: International Efforts to Address Sexual Violence in Conflict and Post-Conflict Zones
30 October 2009
Call for papers for an anthology on international efforts to address sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict zones. We are looking for submissions that advance knowledge on the relationship between the state and its response to sexual violence during violent conflict and post-conflict situations. Papers that use gender, race, ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation as a category of analysis within different conflicts are encouraged. Papers should be 8000 words with fifteen being selected for publication. Abstracts should be sent by 31 December 2009. More information is available from Humanities and Social Sciences Net Online. - Violence against Women Advisory Group members announced
29 October 2009
The Prime Minister announced the names of the new members of the Violence against Women Advisory Group at the annual White Tie Dinner for the White Ribbon Foundation, held in Sydney on 10 September 2009. Read the Prime Minister's keynote address where he announces the members of the Advisory Group and discusses Time for Action, a National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women. - Tasmania Law Reform Institute
20 October 2009
The Tasmania Law Reform Institute is currently looking at the issue of tendency and coincidence evidence in the context of sexual assault trials with multiple complainants. An issues paper has been released for public comment whhich can be downloaded: Bradfield, R. and Henning, T. (2009) Evidence Act 2001 sections 97, 98 & 101 and Hoch's case: Admissibility of 'Tendency' and 'Coincidence' evidence in sexual assault cases with multiple complainants. - Promising Practice Database
8 October 2009
You can now browse the ACSSA Promising Practice Programs and Responses for Sexual Assault database by subject. - New pubs from ACSSA
7 October 2009
ACSSA Aware No.22 which focuses on sexual assault prevention and ACSSA Wrap No.7 on homelessness and sexual assault have just been published. - Moving right along: Women surviving rape
22 September 2009
Dr Jan Jordan presented this seminar (PDF 3.7 MB) / audio presentation (MP3 11.2 MB) which explored the importance of mental and psychological survival of rape; how women manage participating with police and the trial process; and the concept of survivorship for those working with women who have been victimised. - Stop Family Violence NT
7 September 2009
The Northern Territory Department of Health and Families (DHF) has launched a new web site aimed at improving community access to vital information on domestic and family violence, including legislation about mandatory reporting. This new site is part of the Government's campaign demonstrating that each person has a role to play in reporting domestic and family violence in the Northern Territory. Find out more about Stop Family Violence. - Special research and grants bulletin
3 September 2009
The Helen Macpherson Smith Trust is an independent philanthropic trust. For more than 50 years the Trust has given grants to a wide variety of charitable institutions and a diverse range of projects that seek to benefit and improve the lives of the people of Victoria, Australia. To find out more about the Trust and some of the programs with which it has been involved, access the website of the Trust. - Stay safe and avoid sexual assault
1 September 2009
A drama education program urging students to discuss their rights and responsibilities around safe partying, sexual assault and the law, has received funding from the Victorian Legal Services Board. More information about availiable grants can be accessed from the Legal Services Board Grants Program. - Livingwell: A Queensland resource for men who have experienced childhood sexual assault
27 August 2009
Livingwell is seeking participants for an online survey designed to assist in better understanding the range of services available to men who have experienced childhood sexual abuse or sexual assault, and to their partners, friends and family. In addition, this research, conducted in partnership with the University of Queensland, is looking to identify and collate resources that people have found useful when working with men and their supporters. For more information about the study, access the survey information page. - Government calls for applications to establish new domestic violence telephone and online service
25 August 2009
Following the release of Time for Action: The National Council's Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, the Government will establish a telephone and online crisis service for anyone in Australia who has experienced, or is at risk of, sexual assault and/or domestic and family violence. Read the media release. - Legal Services Grant Board
18 August 2009
The Board is calling for applications for Project Grants that improve the administration of laws, increase access to justice, improve legal services and inform and educate the wider community about legal services. See the Board's website for further information. - New website launched in NSW
17 August 2009
Help for victims of sexual assault is a digital one-stop-shop to help victims of sexual assault. It aims to bring together support services to make the justice system more accessible for victims and to encourage them to come forward. - Two new profiles have been added to ACSSA's Promising Practices Database
12 August 2009
Sex & Ethics Sexual Assault Prevention Program: a sexual assault prevention education program and Partners in Prevention (PiP): primary prevention education projects targeting young people. If you have a practice you would like to share, contact Haley Clark on 03 9214 7878 or contact ACSSA to find out how you could be included on ACSSA's national database of promising practices. - New website added to the ACSSA links page
11 August 2009
The Lilith Project is a London-based organisation which works to eliminate all aspects of violence against women. The Project ranges from research into various aspects of violence against women, to training and education for the women's sector, to lobbying for legislative change and to working directly with women who have experienced sexual violence. - International Day of the World's Indigenous People
9 August 2009
To commemorate International Day of the World's Indigenous People on 9 August 2009, the Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse has released a series of Special Collections of research and resources. In this collection on Indigenous peoples' experiences of and responses to domestic and family violence, you will find information on the key issues of prevalence and impact of violence, children and young people and health; responses to violence including advocacy, good practice, government policy, justice responses and prevention; international perspectives from Canada, New Zealand and the United States; and resources for clients and staff. Access the special collection on Indigenous peoples' experiences of and responses to domestic and family violence. - Proposed changes to child protection legislation in the Northern Territory
7 August 2009
Minister for Children and Families (NT), Malarndirri McCarthy, has advised that there will be amendments to the Care and Protection of Children Act 2007 to address concerns raised relating to the mandatory reporting of sexual offences against children. Read the media release about proposed changes to child protection legislation. - Advocacy Information Service to address the needs of women with disabilities
6 August 2009
The Victorian Women with Disabilities Network, in partnership with Women's Health Victoria, has established an Advocacy Information Service to address the needs of women with disabilities in Victoria. A central component of this service is their clearinghouse, which features an online resource collection. The scope of the collection reflects the following current work priorities of the Victorian Women with Disabilities Network: access to health services; violence; and parenting and reproductive rights. - Secondary students and sexual health: Results of the 4th national survey of Australian secondary students, HIV/AIDS and sexual health
5 August 2009
The fourth national survey of Australian secondary students and sexual health involved nearly 3,000 Year 10 and Year 12 students from more than 100 secondary schools from the Government, Catholic and Independent school systems and from every jurisdiction in Australia. The main findings are arranged under the key themes of knowledge, behaviour and health. Download the survey on Secondary students and sexual health. - Sex Discrimination Act 25 years old
4 August 2009
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Sex Discrimination Act (SDA), the Australian Human Rights Commission is launching a commemorative website. The website provides an historical overview of the SDA and gives women and men the opportunity to tell their stories of gender equality. You can read the media release and also access the website providing an overview of the SDA. - Review of laws to protect women and children
3 August 2009
Commonwealth Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, and New South Wales Minister for Women and Acting Attorney-General, Verity Firth, announced a joint investigation into the harmonisation of domestic violence and family law. The primary aim of this work will be to address inconsistencies so as to ensure women and children are better protected under both Commonwealth and State laws regarding domestic violence, child protection, sexual assault and family law. Read the media release on the review of laws aimed at protecting women and children. - Intimate partner abuse
31 July 2009
Perceptions about the mining industry and the rapid growth of mining communities in Australia has led to concerns that these communities are prone to higher rates of intimate partner violence than the general community. This paper provides a summary of research that examined the nature and prevalence of intimate partner abuse of women in Central Queensland's Bowen Basin region. You can download the paper: Intimate partner abuse of women in a Central Queensland mining region from the Australian Institute of Criminology. - Volunteers needed for research on survivors of sexual abuse
30 July 2009
Women who have suffered childhood sexual abuse are needed to share their experiences as part of an RMIT University research project that aims to help develop better counselling and support services for older people. More information is available about the study on adult survivors of sexual abuse. - Intrafamilial adolescent sex offenders
27 July 2009
Sexual abuse of children by other children or adolescents constitutes approximately 40 to 90 percent of sexual offending against children. The Australian Institute of Criminology has released a new report which examines the nature and causes of adolescent intrafamilial sex offending and which treatment approaches are likely to be successful. Read the report: Intrafamilial adolescent sex offenders: psychological profile and treatment. - Sexual violence in the military
22 July 2009
Soldiers who rape, commanders who condone: Sexual violence and military reform in the Democratic Republic of Congo documents persistent sexual violence by the army, and the limited impact of government and donor efforts to address the problem. Read the press release. Read the report. - Extra funding for NSW Rape Crisis Centre
20 July 2009
The NSW Minister for Health has announced that crisis intervention services for sexual assault are to be expanded following a 129 per cent increase in victims seeking counselling and support over the past three years. Read the media release announcing extra funding. - New report on sexual assault victims
17 July 2009
A rollercoaster ride - Victims of sexual assault: Their experiences with and views about the criminal justice process in the ACT 2009. This report provides information from two studies involving a number of adults who had experienced a sexual assault and who had reported the incident to police in the ACT. Download the report: A rollercoaster ride. - What's culture got to do with it? The impact of ethnic identity on the effects of unwanted sexual experience during childhood
3 July 2009
The aim of this research is to identify the impact of ethnic identity on the effects of childhood sexual abuse among women who have been subjected to sexual abuse in childhood. This research will form part of a PhD for Tanja Stojadinovic from the University of South Australia. If you would like more information or would like to find out how to participate in the project, email Tanja Stojadinovic. - Sentencing trends
2 July 2009
The Sentencing Advisory Council has released sixteen new Sentencing Snapshots in its series examining offences heard in the higher courts of Victoria. The latest Snapshots analyse sentencing trends, including a number of sex offences. Sentencing trends snapshots include those for rape, sexual penetration of a child between 10 and 16, sexual penetration of a child aged under 10, indecent act with a child aged under 16 and indecent assault in the higher courts. - National Indigenous Intelligence Task Force
1 July 2009
The Australian Crime Commission's National Indigenous Intelligence Task Force invites submissions for a national study regarding the provision of specialised therapeutic counselling services to children and adolescents who demonstrate sexualised behaviours or sexual offending behaviours. Submission guidelines can be accessed via the ACC website. Closing date for submissions: Friday 31 July 2009.
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