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Gender-based violence is not a distant issue or something that can be brushed aside and ignored. It affects people of every age, in every community, and from every social background.
The impact of gender-based violence goes far beyond the moment of harm; it shapes lives in ways that are often unseen.
Talking about gender-based violence isn’t easy and nor should it be. But these conversations are essential if we are to understand the problem, support those affected, and work towards meaningful change.
We spoke with Deakin University’s Associate Professor of Psychology, Dr Lata Satyen, about the importance of the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, and ways Australians can address the issue.
The Australian government describes gender-based violence as:
Gender-based violence – including sexual violence and harassment, and domestic and family violence – is complex, intricately linked to women’s position in society and is a product of power imbalances between men and women.
Gender-based violence isn’t always physical. There are hidden forms of gender-based violence that may be less obvious, such as:
Dr Satyen explains that while the terms are similar, they actually refer to two distinct forms and experiences of violence.
‘Gender-based violence refers to violence that victims experience because of their gender, and this includes all forms of violence. Domestic violence, on the other hand, refers to mainly violence that occurs within the home usually caused by an intimate partner. This could occur to anyone with any gender or sexual identity,’ she explains.
The 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence is a global campaign held each year from 25 November to 10 December.
This campaign period begins with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November and ends with Human Rights Day on 10 December. The aim of the campaign is to end all violence against women and girls.
The 16 Days of Activism is a crucial way to acknowledge how big of an issue gender-based violence is, however, it’s critical to advocate against gender-based violence for 365 days of the year.
According to Dr Satyen, the 16 Days of Activism campaign exists to recognise and call attention to all forms of gender-based violence.
‘We focus on the 16 Days of Activism to address all forms of gender-based violence and to ensure that everyone is playing their part to prevent, to intervene, and to support victims and survivors in their recovery journey after abuse.’
If you’re looking at ways to get involved, there are a number of events that will run during the 16 days. You can learn more about them here.
While gender-based violence refers to violence against people of all genders, of the 41% of Australians over the age of 15 that have experienced gender-based violence, 31% are female.
These sobering statistics highlight that gender-based violence remains a major issue in Australian communities:
According to UN Women, one of the most significant drivers of gender-based violence is gender inequality.
Dr Satyen explains, ‘We have to address the disparities between the genders in all walks of life. It is only when we create a gender equal society that we will be able to truly prevent gender-based violence.’
She adds that the cause of gender-based violence is usually a complex interplay between a number of factors.
‘There are some other aspects that also lead to gender-based violence, including men’s attitudes towards women, their need for control, the lack of accountability when perpetrators commit gender-based violence, and the patriarchal structures in our society,’ she explains.
Australia is one of the world leaders in developing prevention, intervention, and crisis support programs to address gender-based violence.
‘In 2015, here in Victoria we held the world’s first public inquiry, the Royal Commission into Family Violence. Through this Inquiry, there were 227 recommendations made and the Victorian government committed to implementing all of these recommendations.’
Although the government has committed billions of dollars to addressing gender-based violence, particularly after the inquiry, there are still lots of funding cuts to essential support services and programs.
Dr Satyen adds that we are also failing to adequately address violence against children.
‘There are very few programs to support children, but also to support the long-term recovery and healing of victims and survivors of gender-based violence. We have a national plan that provides a framework to prevent gender-based violence,’ she explains.
Dr Satyen says it can’t just be the government working to prevent gender-based violence; everyone needs to do more when it comes to prevention.
‘The community at large needs to play a part in reaching the government’s target of limiting gender-based violence within one generation,’ she explains.
The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence is a government initiative. It was released in 2022 with an aim to end all gender-based violence by 2032. The plan also includes actions to end violence against children.
It highlights the need for a coordinated effort across all parts of the community. From individuals and families to workplaces and institutions, everyone needs to work together to prevent and respond to gender-based violence as we hope to eliminate it from our society.
The plan includes four main domains:
The plan shows there’s more than just one action required when it comes to ending gender-based violence; there’s a whole system that’s been put in place to make the plan as effective as possible.
Prevention focuses on society; early intervention catches potential risk; response provides immediate attention; and recovery works to allow people to safely move forward after experiencing trauma.
From national organisations to local not-for-profit groups, many organisations are working to prevent gender-based violence. Each one plays an essential and integral role in the broader path toward prevention.
Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) is a national organisation that works to prevent gender-based violence. They are Australia’s independent, trusted voice for reliable and informed evidence on domestic, family and sexual violence.
OurWatch also operates at a national level, working to develop prevention programs. They run a range of events both in–person and online to educate the community on the prevention of violence.
In addition to these national organisations, there are several state-based and not-for-profit groups offering support.
Dr Satyen says organisations to note include, ‘Beyond DV, the Gippsland Family Violence Alliance and the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre. These organisations are all working tirelessly to address gender-based violence.’
Gender-based violence has directly affected 41% of people in Australia over the age of 15, and it’s up to all of us to be part of the solution.
Dr Satyen emphasises the importance of reflecting on our behaviour and how it may be contributing to the issue.
‘If people are not already aware, they need to understand how their own behaviour could be creating inequality in their personal or family relationships. They need to look at what changes they can make so that women in their homes in their workplaces and communities around them can feel safer,’ she explains.
Dr Satyen is the Founding Co-convenor of the Deakin Network Against Gendered Violence (DNAGV).
The aim of the DNAGV is to foster a network that facilitates and promotes Deakin’s expertise in the area of violence against women.
The network meets to develop evidence-based strategies that can be used to limit gender-based violence and violence against women. They also look into ways the family violence sector can be provided with adequatetools to address the issue in a practical and informed way.
‘At the Deakin Network Against Gendered Violence (DNAGV), we are continually generating research evidence and informing policy and practice to address gender-based violence at the national, state and community levels. We need to ensure that we keep translating the research evidence to the communities that we serve. And together, with our concerted efforts, we can end gender-based violence,’ she says.
Ending gender-based violence requires a collective commitment, and campaigns like the 16 Days of Activism serve as a powerful reminder of the work still to be done.
As Dr Satyen highlights, prevention begins with awareness, accountability and support.
By continuing these conversations and taking action where we can, we move closer to a future where every person can live free from gender-based violence.
If you or someone you know needs support, contact 1800RESPECT.
