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How to talk about the prevention toolkit for local government

Summary

Guidance on how to talk about this toolkit with stakeholder

As the closest level of government to the community, local governments are uniquely placed to influence and drive social change. Local governments have existing partnerships, networks and structures that can be leveraged and used to reduce domestic and family violence.

The Local Government Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Toolkit is a website that aims to support local governments across Australia with practical information and resources to help them in partnering with their communities to plan and implement local domestic and family violence prevention initiatives.

Background

The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan) represents a commitment by the Australian, state and territory governments to reduce violence against women and their children.

The Third Action Plan of the National Plan includes a focus on supporting community-led action to challenge gender inequality and the social norms that support domestic, family and sexual violence. This includes a commitment to ‘co-design tools and resources with local governments to engage with business, sporting organisations and community groups to promote action against violence’.

The Department of Social Services is implementing this action through the development, trial and implementation of the Local Government Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Toolkit website (the Toolkit).

Why this is local government business

With one in three Australian women experiencing physical violence since the age of 15 years and almost one in five experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime, this is an issue that affects all communities. There are many local governments around Australia that are actively addressing domestic violence in their communities. This is a chance to join them.

It is good governance

Domestic and family violence affects health, wellbeing and safety. Some local governments include domestic and family violence prevention measures in their Health and Wellbeing Plans or their Crime and Safety Plans.

It supports economic prosperity

The cost of violence against women and children to Australia’s economy was approximately $22 billion in 2015-16.

It reduces homelessness

Domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness and housing instability for women and children, nationally.

Be an employer of choice

Gender inequality is a cause of domestic and family violence. Addressing gender inequality improves workplace performance—workplaces that have higher levels of gender equality perform better than those with lower levels.

The toolkit supports local governments to:

  • be informed about domestic and family violence and prevention through information and links
  • learn how to be an employer of choice by increasing gender equality in the workplace
  • find out what activities other local governments have implemented through links and examples
  • discover how to design and deliver prevention activities in your community
  • Measure the success of activities and understand the results

Supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.