10 October 2017

Awards to recognise efforts to prevent family violence

| Ian Bushnell
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injured woman holds childDo you know someone or an organisation whose work or project has made the lives of women and children safer and less prone to violence?

The ACT Government is calling on the community to nominate individuals and/or organisations that have made a significant contribution to the prevention of violence against women and children as part of the 2017 Violence Prevention awards.

The awards recognise projects, activities and other contributions in five categories – community, sport, workplaces, media and education.

Last year’s winners were former Raiders captain Alan Tongue, the Women’s Centre for Health Matters, the Canberra Times‘ Behind Closed Doors media campaign, Ernst and Young, and Brumbies Rugby.

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Yvette Berry said just about every person in the community was affected by family violence in some way.

“The effects of violence and abuse are so serious, and they demand a shared responsibility to result in real and lasting change,” she said. “If we are to effectively rid our community out of this issue, every person and every organisation can take important steps to prevent violence against women and children.”

She said that the awards were again hoping to promote examples of exemplary work being done in the ACT community.

“We would like to hear about innovative partnerships between individuals and/or organisations in the ACT so that we can acknowledge their contribution to creating a community where women and children can live free from fear,” she said.

“If you know of an individual, project or activity that is contributing to this change, I encourage you to nominate them.”

Ms Berry said the ACT Government had been a leader responding to domestic and family violence, both through Territory law reform and the $21 million Safer Families package announced last year.

“Our Safer Families package emphasises that domestic and family violence is everyone’s business, and will take a collaborative response across the whole community to ensure families are safer and better supported,” she said.

The Safer Families package supports the implementation of the commitments made in the ACT Government Response to Family Violence. Released in June 2016, the ACT Government Response to Family Violence detailed 38 separate commitments.

More information about the work of the Coordinator General for Family Safety can be obtained by visiting http://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/home/safer-families.

Nominations for the awards close on 27 October 2017 and can be submitted via https://dhcs.smartygrants.com.au/2017_VPA

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