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→ Wirringa Baiya Women's Legal Centre, NSW
→ Mudgin-Gal Aboriginal Women's Corporation, NSW
 Think rugby league and you think big hits and hard tackles – but an award-winning campaign has used the 'greatest game of all' as the starting point to change community attitudes to violence. To launch the 'Blackout Violence' program, players from 85 rugby league teams took to the field at the 2004 NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout wearing purple armbands to show their opposition to family violence and sexual assault against women.
Around 2,000 Blackout Violence kits were handed out to players and spectators throughout the four-day carnival, containing information on how to prevent violence and where to get help.
The rugby league knockout is the largest gathering of Aboriginal people in NSW so it was the perfect place to get the message out, said campaign organiser Dixie Link-Gordon.
"The message of Blackout Violence is simple: enough is enough. Family violence has no part in our culture. It's not the Koori way and it needs to stop," Ms Link-Gordon said.
"It's a difficult issue to talk about and we've put it under the carpet for too long. But this campaign has allowed a large number of people to take an important message back to their own communities."
Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council Chairperson, Rob Welsh, said the Blackout Violence campaign showed Aboriginal people taking a leadership role by tackling the problem head on.
"Blackout Violence is all about us taking control of our actions and showing respect for each other and our communities. By doing this we can show the way for other communities around Australia – black and white," he said.
The starting point for the state-wide campaign was a peaceful rally held by a number of women from Redfern's 'Block', who came together to protest against the violent rape of a local woman. The rally drew more than 100 people and a co-ordinated grass-roots campaign soon followed.
The Blackout Violence program was set up and run without any government funding. However, its success has been recognised with the 2004 NSW Violence Against Women Prevention Award.
"The focus of the campaign has always been on community engagement and that's why it been such a success," said Blackout Violence partner, Christine Robinson, from the Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women's Legal Centre.
"From the start Indigenous men, women and children have all supported the program. They are determined to change how their community views and deals with issues like domestic violence."
A training manual has been developed to support Indigenous communities address violence in all its forms – domestic violence, community violence and other forms of violence, such as bullying.
Following the success of Blackout Violence, a national roll-out of the program is being planned. However, funding to print and distribute the manual is required.
The program has also drawn interest and support from a wide range of groups, including police, courts, universities, community groups and health services.
"It is very important this campaign continue to be driven and maintained by Aboriginal people but supported by non-Aboriginal people," said Ms Link-Gordon.
Blackout Violence was developed by the Inner City Domestic Violence Group, Redfern Legal Centre and the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council.
Beyond Violence: Finding the dream
Beyond Violence – Finding the Dream is a video and handbook resource exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community solutions to the issue of family violence.
Community engagement, leadership and control are the key themes explored in relation to the question, 'what would our community be like without crimes of violence?'.
"As we acknowledge problems such as family violence, we take responsibility and accept accountability in our search for solutions. These solutions then become ours," says Professor Judy Atkinson, who produced the resource.
Featuring the stories of Indigenous women and men who describe their pain and hope for a future without violence, the video highlights the need for communities to work together and become agents of change.
"It's not a women's problem. It isn't a man's problem either. It's a community problem and the whole community has to be involved, to be told what's happening," says one male field worker in the video. "We all have to change our attitudes and take responsibility for finding a solution."
The handbook provides practical advice around establishing a community action group and promotes culturally appropriate solutions to stop family violence. There is information on who to contact for help and additional resources that can be used as part of a workshop or community discussion.
The Beyond Violence project was funded by the Office of the Status of Women, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; and the Office of Aboriginal Women in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.
Find out more: Beyond the Violence – Finding the Dream is available from Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples, Southern Cross University, NSW.
Phone: 02 6620 3955
Email: gnibi [at] scu.edu.au
Find out more
Wirringa Baiya Women's Legal Centre
Phone: 1800 686 587 or 02 9569 3847
Email: info [at] wirringabaiya.org.au
Website: www.wirringabaiya.org.au
Mudgin-Gal Aboriginal Women's Corporation
Phone: 02 9319 2613
Email: office [at] mudgin-gal.org.au
National domestic violence hotline: 1800 656 463 |
