Partnership award category
The Partnership Award is awarded to a project that has shown collaboration between different groups in the community towards the prevention of domestic and family violence.
2008 Winner: Mareeba and Tablelands Violence Prevention Committee
For: the 'Violence No Way' campaign.
The 'Violence No Way' campaign owes its success to the collaboration between diverse stakeholders in the Mareeba and Tablelands district, including police, sporting groups and community organisations. The focus of the campaign is on increasing the safety of children affected by domestic and family violence, by informing the community about underlying causes of domestic and family violence, what assistance is available, and by working to make domestic and family violence unacceptable in all communities within the Atherton Tablelands.
The campaign has been supported by community leaders and the public, with local radio and television stations carrying advertisements over a twelve month period. Other examples of support include the Tableland Police using the slogan 'Violence No Way' on coasters in pubs across the Tableland and more than 200 people gathering in Mareeba for a 'Violence No Way' parade.
Local police report a downturn in the number of domestic and family violence incidents in Mareeba since the program was launched in March 2006.
2008 Highly Commended: Gold Coast Centre Against Sexual Violence Inc
For: Inspire Magazine
'Inspire Magazine', an innovative component of the SHE (Strength, Health and Empowerment) program developed by the Gold Coast Centre Against Sexual Violence Inc, is a resource designed for young women aged between 12 – 18 years.
This magazine was designed and written with significant consultation and collaboration with young women to ensure that the content was a relevant resource for the target group.
The content of Inspire focuses on important personal development and safety strategies, as well as domestic and family violence and sexual assault awareness and prevention information.
Since the official launch in May 2007, 20,000 copies of the Inspire Magazine have been distributed to various government and non government organisations.
2008 Highly Commended: Community Coordinated Response to Domestic and Family Violence – Toowoomba
For: Awareness Campaign May 2007
This initiative involved a widespread campaign which raised awareness during Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month in May 2007. These activities included an advertisement in the Toowoomba Chronicle each day of the campaign. A key feature of the campaign was the participation of Wayne Bennett as the guest speaker for a lunch attended by 250 business, government and community members. Mr Bennett also addressed 1,560 school students on the importance of healthy relationships, and encouraged them to take a stand against domestic and family violence.
Targeting men, this campaign had an innovative approach by providing information to support people affected by domestic and family violence, implementing workplace policies on domestic and family violence, encouraging those who use violence and abuse to seek help and support from local refuges and domestic and family violence services.