My experience with family violence and why we’re running #SheMakesChange during Victoria Against Violence
When I was 13: My dad answered the door to our neighbour’s desperate knocking — she rocketed in with her 7 year old son yelling “Call the police!” to escape her violent husband.
When I was 15: I answered the door of my friend’s grandma’s house to a different woman’s desperate knocking, she begged us not to call the police because he’d easily find her, wherever she was.
When I was 17: I told myself “If he ever hit me, I’d leave”. My teenage relationship was emotionally abusive, but I didn’t even know what that was.
One year ago I was invited to the launch of the Victorian Gender Equality Strategy. Then Minister for Women, the late Fiona Richardson, had asked government officials to see our state’s gender equality strategy. When she learned there wasn’t one, she turned around and created one.
I have been working to increase the number of women in STEM since cofounding Girl Geek Academy with my friends in 2014. I work hard for gender equality because I believe it’s fair and a good thing to do, but did you know we can prevent violence against women through gender equality?
I always thought gender equality was the “right” thing but to do, but I did not know that gender equality could help save lives.
In Safe and Strong: A Victorian Gender Equality Strategy Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said the Royal Commission into Family Violence “made clear an uncomfortable truth: family violence is a gendered crime, full stop. The majority of victims — 75 per cent — are women. If we are serious about ending violence against women, then we must begin by addressing gender inequality. After all, bad outcomes for women, begin with bad attitudes towards women.”
The Royal Commission found that gender inequality is one of the key drivers behind family violence. When I realised that, something changed.
Action on gender equality is urgent. Family violence costs the Victorian economy more than $3.4 billion per year.
Our work to teach one million women to build technology and pursue a STEM career is no longer a “nice to have”, a bonus, something to be tacked on. When you realise gender inequality contributes to family violence, that people’s lives are at risk and that it is preventable, the need for action on gender equality is literally a matter of life or death.
Minister Fiona Richardson in Safe and Strong: A Victorian Gender Equality Strategy: “Victoria’s first Gender Equality Strategy aligns with other equality strategies and will serve as a gateway to pursuing equality in all its forms. We are under no illusions. Creating a gender equal state will take time and there is evidence that the status of women in Australia is falling. In 2016, Australia’s ranking on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index dropped to 46 down from 36 in 2015. But we believe by working together we will achieve generational change.”
Unfortunately, Fiona passed away only a few months ago. But we will continue to pursue her vision of seeing gender equality and the prevention of family violence.
In Safe and Strong: A Victorian Gender Equality Strategy Minister Richardson said:
Every one of us has a role to play so we ask that you step up too. Are you championing gender equality? What can you do to make a difference, and how can you make a start?
As part of Victoria Against Violence, Girl Geek Academy is hosting the first #SheMakesChange at General Assembly Melbourne on Saturday December 9.
This year marks the third anniversary of the State Government’s Victoria Against Violence — 16 Days of Activism campaign commencing on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November and concluding on International Human Rights Day, 10 December.
We have partnered with the Department of Health and Human Services, Crowdspot and XYX Lab to improve gender equality, with Girl Geek Academy leading a group of hand-selected hackers, hustlers and hipsters to shape a technical, design and marketing brief during a hack day we’re calling #SheMakesChange.
Every community has a role to play in preventing family violence and gender equality increases women’s safety and wellbeing by encouraging a society based on respect. We are putting our hand up to create a Victoria #freefromviolence.
Check out more about the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/shemakeschange-victoria-against-violence-tickets-40274112956
If you want to join us for the event, please let me know — the invitation is open to both men and women, as gender inequality affects men too.
