Victoria considers options to halt rising rates of assaults against women

The Victorian Government is set to develop a three year Action Plan to address the issue of violence against women and their children.

The plan, to be consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, will affirm that violence against women constitutes a violation of the fundamental rights and freedoms of women.

The Minister for Women’s Affairs, Mary Wooldridge, said that while family violence and sexual assault will remain a key focus for the Victorian Government, the Action Plan will also incorporate other serious forms of violence against women such as “cyber-bullying, stalking, sexting and sex trafficking”.

The Victorian Government is launching a period of consultation to inform the development of the Action Plan, which will set out objectives, areas of focus and action into the future.

“After taking on board the views of experts in the field and women who have experienced violence, the Action Plan will be a comprehensive framework to address what is the world’s most prevalent human rights abuse; violence against women and their children,” Wooldridge said.

According to research compiled by Dr Michael Flood from the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University, up to one-half of Australian women will experience physical or sexual violence by a man at some point in their lives.

Source: Pro Bono Australia