Australia – A Shared Framework for the Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women: Change the Story
Author: WUNRN
Date: November 27, 2015
https://www.ourwatch.org.au/What-We-Do-(1)/National-Primary-Prevention-Framework
Website Link includes video.
Australia – Change the Story: A Shared Framework for the Primary Prevention of Violence
No country in the world has a national, evidence-based road map to prevent violence against women and their children in a coordinated way. Our Watch partnered with VicHealth and ANROWS to create Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia.
Ending violence against women and their children is a national priority. Work is already being undertaken across a range of sectors – by governments, nongovernment organisations, researchers and practitioners – to change the attitudes, behaviours and environments that perpetuate this violence.
But much of this work happens on a small-scale or in isolation from other projects. Violence cannot be prevented project by project – coordination and collaboration is fundamental to our success.
The National Framework to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children brings together the international research, and nationwide experience, on what works to prevent violence.
It establishes a shared understanding of the evidence and principles of effective prevention, and presents a way forward for a coordinated national approach.
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Download a copy of the framework
Framework foundations 2 (APPENDIX 3): Full text of think pieces informing Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia (PDF 1445KB)
Click here for more FAQs on Change the story
Why now?
Local and international evidence for prevention has grown exponentially over the past decade.
Australia led the way: VicHealth’s 2007 Preventing Violence before it Occurs: A Framework and Background Paper to Guide the Primary Prevention of Violence against Women in Victoria was a ground breaking, world-first model that solidified the best evidence at the time. Since then, work by international organisations such as the World Health Organisation, the European Commission and the UN has reinforced and built on that evidence base.
Policy support has also grown over recent years, with the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022 outlining the shared commitment of the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. The development of a National Primary Prevention Framework is a priority action under the National Plan’s Second Action Plan 2013 – 2016: Moving Ahead.
Initiatives have been tested to see what works. With funding support from government and nongovernment agencies, activities to change attitudes, behaviours and practices have been trialled in schools, workplaces, sporting organisations and councils. Evaluations of these projects have shown that the ‘upstream’ causes of violence are amenable to change.
The time has come for an evidence-based ‘road map’ to show us how to pull this work together and coordinate effort to create real change – not just for some, but across the whole population.
What will the National Framework tell us?
Prevention of violence against women and their children requires a sustained effort across all levels of society. There are no easy fixes. Everyone has a part to play.
The National Framework provides the guidance and support to make this happen. The document:
- outlines the latest evidence on what causes violence against women and their children
- shows what works to prevent it, in different sectors and from the individual to societal level
- looks at how different forms of disadvantage and discrimination can interact, and how prevention activity should take this into account
- articulates the elements of a coordinated approach to prevention across jurisdictions and sectors.
What is not in the Framework?
The Framework does not prescribe specific actions. It is a guide to assist governments and other stakeholders to develop their own appropriate policies, strategies and programs to prevent violence against women and their children.
Who is informing the Framework?
Together with our partners, ANROWS and VicHealth, Our Watch held consultations in each state and territory to build and refine the Framework. We spoke with:
- leaders in the field of violence prevention
- government partners
- nongovernment organisations
- different groups in the community
- leaders in different sectors, such as education, sports and business.
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