Page 930 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 30 March 1993
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I am pleased that this fourth objective has been included, as it almost instructs those coming into the area for the first time not to discard earlier attempts to lessen violence against women. What the debate does not need is changes of emphasis and direction that prevent a clear and coherent agenda from being followed. Men and women need to be educated about the violence that has been perpetrated against women, but this process cannot be constantly changing and taking different directions. There has been a level of education going on in the public arena for many years. Although many expressed despair at the findings of the 1988 study "Community Attitudes Towards Domestic Violence", which found that one in five men thought the use of physical violence against his wife acceptable in some circumstances, I submit that a survey taken a few years earlier would have found a much higher proportion who felt it acceptable. The objectives of the National Strategy on Violence Against Women are to be supported and the methods proposed will take the debate further towards a society where violence is not tolerated, particularly against women.
Madam Speaker, the measures outlined by the Chief Minister in her speech when tabling the report are welcome as a start towards some of the recommendations of the strategy. I also welcome the Community Law Reform Committee's discussion paper on the issue of domestic violence and look forward to research the ACT Community Law Reform Committee has commissioned with the Institute of Criminology, aimed at producing suggestions on how to improve the processing of domestic violence cases by police in the courts. I have one concern that I hope members on the opposition benches may take up with their Federal colleagues. (Extension of time granted) While the Fightback package makes a commitment to retaining some of the forums which deal with issues affecting women, it does not expressly address the issue of violence against women; nor does it guarantee the future of the National Committee on Violence Against Women. If we are to produce a truly equal society where women are given the same advantages as men, we must address the issue of domestic violence and continue the work that has gone on to date. Madam Speaker, I encourage all members to take up the cause of promoting a less violent society.
MS ELLIS (8.19): Madam Speaker, violence against women is a problem that has existed for as long as our society has existed. However, it has not been regarded as a problem by society as a whole until surprisingly recently. As well, popular opinion has wrongly assumed the causes for this violence, and until recently it has not been regarded as the widespread problem it is - one which covers all areas of society and women from all backgrounds and all ages. For a long time, violence against women was regarded, when it occurred in the home, as a private matter between families. When such violence took place outside the home, it was generally regarded as the fault of the woman for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Violence against women was not regarded as a serious crime; in many cases it was not regarded as a crime at all. It took years of work by courageous and committed people to convince governments and society that they must take responsibility for and action on violence against women. In the last 10 years, enormous changes have taken place. The establishment of the National Committee on Violence Against Women in 1990 recognised this fact. However, with the establishment of the committee, it was also recognised that violence against women remains endemic in our society and that a strategy to tackle this continuing problem is vital for the safety and protection of women and for the health of Australian society.
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