Women

	Click on the image to visit the My Oath website

All Aussie men should swear – and wear a white ribbon

The ASU is a long time supporter of the White Ribbon Day campaign, which aims to eliminate violence against women by promoting culture change. As part of the 2009 awareness raising, Australian men are being asked to swear online in support of the campaign.

My oath

Visit the My Oath website at http://www.myoath.com.au/ to build the numbers that show that Australian men want to eliminate violence against women.

Why should I swear?

UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon has labelled violence against women the most prevalent violation of human rights on the planet. And Australia is far from immune. Currently, one in three Australian women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Every single one of us knows a woman who has suffered its effects, whether we know it or not. These women are our mothers, daughters, our wives, our girlfriends, colleagues and friends. By supporting this campaign you are helping to ensure that Australia becomes a safer place for all women, and their children.

What is violence?

The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines violence against women as: "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life." In simple terms, violence against women is violence "directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects a woman disproportionately" There are many kinds of and names for violence against women:

• domestic violence, family violence, wife-beating, intimate violence, intimate homicide, femicide
• sexual violence, sexual assault, rape, marital rape, gang rape, date rape, acquaintance rape, indecent assault, sexual harassment, sex-based harassment
• child abuse, child sexual abuse, paedophilia, incest
• homophobic violence, hate crime, lesbian bashing, elder abuse
• genital mutilation
• enforced prostitution
• enforced sterilisation, enforced abortion, killing of unwanted female babies, enforced motherhood

UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman testifies at US House Committee supporting call to end violence

Excerpted from the UNIFEM news release

United Nations, New York -- United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman and Mallika Dutt, anti-violence group Breakthrough's Executive Director, today (October 21) supported the call for a comprehensive approach by the United States to address ending violence against women. Ms. Kidman and Ms. Dutt, speaking to members of the U.S. House of Representatives Sub-Committee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, emphasized the urgency to invest in women, partner locally and provide resources for effective programmes in developing countries.

Today's hearing provided Ms Kidman an opportunity to amplify the voices of the women she has met through her work with UNIFEM and share their stories. Speaking of women survivors of violence from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kosovo by whom she was inspired, Ms Kidman observed: "These champions need and deserve our support. Not with a box of band-aids, but with a comprehensive, well-funded approach that acknowledges that women's rights are human rights. It is time for policies that intentionally involve society's key communities -- from health and education departments to the police and judiciary -- to deliver on that commitment. To succeed, it requires political will at the highest levels."

Read more, including a link to the full testimony here: http://www.unifem.org.au/AnnouncementRetrieve.aspx?ID=23730

What is the White Ribbon Campaign?

The White Ribbon Campaign aims to end violence against women by encouraging men and boys to take positive action to create change. White Ribbon is working to develop a culture of gender equity and respect where attitudes and behaviours that support the use of violence, are no longer tolerated.

The ASU has been represented on the campaign for some years by Ambassador and ASU Assistant National Secretary Greg McLean. Many other trade unionists are ambassadors along with prominent men from all walks of life: http://www.whiteribbonday.org.au/Ambassadors-33.aspx