Gender equality the key to safety for women

Gender equality the key to safety for women - By Danielle Winzenried

With International Women’s Day taking place last week, I have had cause to reflect on what we all can do to support gender equality and in doing so, eliminate violence against women and their children.

In my work with Save the Children, I have learnt much about gender inequality in the context of Family Violence. I am privileged to work on a program in primary prevention with young men and boys from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) backgrounds, where we have had the opportunity to talk with young people about positive masculinity, healthy relationships, respect towards women and preventing violence against women and their children.

I am not going to address whether some people feel they don’t experience (women) or see/perpetuate (men and women) gender inequality. I would love any feedback on reader responses to the Backlash section in particular below.

What I will share is some information about stopping Family Violence I have had the opportunity to access through my work, and I encourage everyone to explore the topic of reducing GBV through gender equality from reputable resources, it is currently front and centre in National debate, it’s an exciting time for us to walk together towards equality!

The majority of Family Violence is perpetrated against women and children by men. Each week in Australia, one woman will lose their life at the hands of a former/current male partner. This is why such violence is often referred to as Gender Based Violence (GBV). This violence happens against women because they are women. (I invite you all to do some research on intersectionality; which provides guidance on why particular populations are at even higher risk of GBV due to race, ability, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, language, socio-economic status and culture.)

Due to the gendered element of Family Violence, Australia’s campaign to eradicate this scourge on our society focuses on gender inequality as a cause of Family Violence.

The Our Watch organisation is the lead Australian agency working from evidence-based research in the prevention of violence against women and children, by embedding gender equality in the Australian community.

Our Watch resources, in particular the Change the Story framework, are impactful, straight-forward and positive strategies to make changes in our community. I have taken the following information from their website.

The key gendered drivers of violence against women and their children are:

• Condoning of violence against women

• Men’s control of decision-making and limits to women’s independence in public life and relationships

• Rigid gender roles and stereotyped constructions of masculinity and femininity

• Male peer relationships or ‘male bonding’ that emphasises aggression and disrespect towards women

Factors that can contribute to or exacerbate violence against women can include:

• The condoning of violence in general in our society. This makes violence, particularly men’s violence, seem like a normal part of life.

• Experience of or exposure to violence. For example, in childhood, or in communities with high levels of violence.

• Harmful use of alcohol, and harmful ideas about alcohol and violence. For example, thinking that being drunk is an excuse for violence or a reason to blame the victim of violence.

• Socio-economic inequality and discrimination. When women have lower social or economic status and power, or they are treated as less worthy of respect, they are more likely to experience violence. For example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women with disabilities and transgender women.

• Backlash. When people push back against positive social change in a hostile way. This can happen when men’s status and privilege is challenged by calls for gender equality.

I have found the way this information is shared by Our Watch easily understandable and it has enabled me to challenge my own views on acceptable social behaviour. It can be confronting.

Having information and wanting to do better is one thing, but how do we contribute to Changing the story? According to Our Watch, we can take actions that help primary prevention – changing the societal conditions that drive and perpetuate violence against women:

• Challenge the condoning of violence against women. We do not accept that violence against women is normal or inevitable and we will challenge any social norms, structures or practices that condone or excuse it.

• Promote women’s independence and decision-making. We ensure that women have access to the same resources, power and opportunities as men.

• Challenge gender stereotypes and roles. We support children, young people and adults to develop positive personal identities free from restrictive gender stereotypes. And we promote gender-equitable roles in parenting, work and other areas.

• Strengthen positive, equal and respectful relationships. We challenge disrespectful behaviour towards women, and assumptions that men should have power and control in relationships. And we work with children and young people to promote respect and gender equality.

• Promote and normalise gender equality in public and private life. We support women’s social, economic, cultural and political participation, as well as equality in relationships.

To get the ball rolling for you on this journey, I recommend checking out the tools and resources on the Our Watch website.

As I end this reflection, I’d like to acknowledge the female members of our club and our allies, the male members of our club, and most importantly, all the feminists who came before us who worked so hard for us to experience our current freedoms with more on the horizon. They walked so that we can run.