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La Trobe University

MEDIA ALERT: GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE FUNDING

La Trobe University

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a $4.7 billion package to fund frontline and legal services supporting women and children experiencing family violence, through new agreements with the states and territories. 

 La Trobe University experts are available to discuss gender-based violence in Australia and globally and how we are tracking to meet targets, as well as the most effective interventions to prevent and reduce the effects of sexual and gender-based violence, especially those that can be delivered in primary health care, community settings and the legal system. 
 
Dr Jess Ison Deputy Director of the Reducing Gender-Based Violence Research Group (ReGEN) at the La Trobe Rural Health School.
Contact: 0481 880 596 

Dr Ison can discuss the following topics: 
 

  • Prevention of gender-based violence 

  • Sexual violence prevalence, response and prevention 

  • LGBTQ+ family violence 

  • Primary prevention 

  • The criminal justice system response 

  • Rural experiences of family violence 
     

The following can be attributed to Dr Ison:  

“We have a national plan in Australia to reduce violence against women and children. We know what needs to be done. To achieve the goals of the national plan, we need sustained funding from the government.” 

Dr Kirsty Duncanson, Senior Lecturer Crime, Justice and Legal Studies at La Trobe School of Social Inquiry 
Contact: 0425 729 460 
 
Dr Duncanson has extensive experience working with community legal centres investigating family violence intervention order application processes. Her major research explores influences on jury decision-making in rape trials, jury direction, courtroom design and the operation of rape myths, such as victim blaming. 

Dr Duncanson can discuss the following topics:  

  • Family/domestic/intimate partner violence and family violence intervention orders 

  • Sexual violence 

  • Rape trial process including jury directions and the operation of rape myths 

  • Courtroom design and the architecture of court buildings 

  • Pop cultural representations of law  
     

The following can be attributed to Dr Duncanson: 

“The Federal Government's latest funding promise for addressing domestic, sexual and family violence is a strong step.  

“This money needs to support wrap-around services that are provided before violence reaches critical levels.  

“We need better funding for First Nations designed and delivered services, more comprehensive and community-led support for culturally and linguistically diverse victims and survivors, and greater recognition and understanding of gender-based violence perpetrated against LGBTQ people.  

“We also need to be addressing the inadequacy of police to respond appropriately to family violence and we need to reduce the removal of children from families.” 

 
Dr Emma Henderson Senior Lecturer at La Trobe University Law School 
Contact:  0487 448 734 
 
Dr Henderson researches and teaches in the areas of criminal law, international human rights law, law reform and critical legal theory. Her recent research has involved a project examining women's agency in domestic violence intervention orders.

Dr Henderson can discuss the following topics:  

  • Sexual offence law, especially within Victoria 

  • Rape trial processes, including jury directions and the operation of rape myths 

  • Law reform processes generally  

  • Human rights law including the rights of women and indigenous people 

  • Domestic violence, including family violence intervention orders  

  • Courtroom design and court building architecture 

The following can be attributed to Dr Henderson:   

“We need increased funding to community legal centres, which are the frontline in terms of victim/survivor support and are critically underfunded for the work they need to do.” 


Contact details:

Elaine Cooney
E.Cooney@latrobe.edu.au
0487 448 734