Activism: How You Can Help Stop the Violence Against Women & Children

Have you ever wanted to participate in the fight for change? Have you ever wanted to be involved in activism that promotes awareness about violence and abuse? Or join movements to lobby the world's governments about changing laws and policies to effectively bring lasting change? Many think that they will not be able to make a difference despite wishing they could, so they never really look into activism. The reality is, however, that there are many things we can all do to become active in the fight to end violence and abuse.

There are many ways to contribute towards the fight for change. Individual participation can take place at many levels, and through many mediums. Anybody can make a difference! Do not forget:

ONE drop raises the ocean!

Domestic violence & child abuse is reaching plague proportions in our society. Individually we can support and inspire victims, as well as enlighten others by raising awareness. Each of us can participate at many levels, from getting involved through our personal associations, right through to being active in global wide networks.

Even the choices available of ways in which we can participate are plentiful. Some may wish to participate through creative expression, others through practical, community based projects or web-based intellectual activism.

Those with a creative flare may wish to ad their might to the fight using mediums such as art, music, creative writing, poetry, digital media (photography, video, graphic design), and have the option of promoting their unique brands in person amongst their local community, through established local publications or via online social networking and self publication websites.

In our immediate social circles and family groups, we can offer emotional support, spread awareness, and most importantly, model the right way to behave. In our local communities, we can participate in awareness and education campaigns, apply for government funding to set up resource points that provide access to information, practical aid and financial support for victims who seek help. Online, we can work together in social networks such as facebook to raise awareness by providing easily accessible educational and practical information, and much needed inspiration and emotional support. In our cultural groups we can inspire, enlighten, advocate tolerance and equality, and lead by example.At a political level we can form groups to conduct campaigns and lobby our local councils, state and federal governments and members of parliament for changes in laws, social policies and resource allocation.

If you really want to get involved, you can, and you may find yourself surprisingly inspired and increasingly motivated. Giving of oneself for the greater good can be unexpectedly fulfilling and enjoyable. Below are some ideas to get you started, and below that, I will go into more detail about each of the points and provide links to relevant sites where you can access further information:

• Find out more about Family Violence and Child Abuse
  
• Tell your friends and family about it
• Write about it on your blogs
• Sign petitions or start your own
  
• Attend protest rallies
• Write to your politicians
• Join groups supporting the cause on FaceBook
• Write songs or poems, or paint pictures, and share them on the web
• Organize support groups in your local community
  

• Open Diary - get your own free online diary or blog
  
• WordPress.com Get a Free Blog Here
  
• Twitter Blog
  
• LiveJournal.com:
  
• Blog.com - What's your story?
  
• Blogger: Create your free blog
  
• The Facebook Blog

• How To Address a Member of Parliament
  
• Draft letter to your polly
  
• Parliament of Australia: House of Representatives - Member of the 42nd Parliament
  
• USA House of Representitives
  
• Contacting your MP - UK Parliament
  
• Contact Your Government | Canada Site
  
• How to Contact State Politicians
  
• Write to your local politician

• STOP the Violence Against Women & Children

• Stop Child Abuse

• Child Abuse Awareness Network

• Domestic Abuse Awareness Network
  

• People Against Domestic Violence! by Pamela Dean

• Murder is Murder. (Warriors for Justice)

• Prevent Child Abuse

• Stop Violence & Sexual Abuse Against Women

• American Mothers Political Party

• Australian Mothers Political Party

• Australian Shared Parenting Law Debate

• I hate it when your soulmate turns out to be a psychopath

• Pro gays, lesbians, hetrosexuals & all others, but ANTI psuedo-homophobics

• Beware: Parent Alienation Awareness Day Promotes Child Abuse

• Pets are part of the family and suffer from family violence along with us!

• Murder Is Murder, No Matter How Small The Victim.

• My kids are my HEROES!

• Survivors of Sociopaths

• Facebook, Take down pages and groups that promote violence against women!

• mothers & children need justice

• How to Write a Petition
• PROTECT ABUSED CHILDREN - The Petition Site
  
• Family Court of Australia amendments Petition
  
• Kids SHOULD Be Heard As Well As Seen! Petition
  
• protecting children from the justice system - Petition Spot
  
• Legal System for Single Moms, Children & Families - The Petition Site
  
• Protect our children - Petition Spot
  
• Stop the Erosion of Women\'s and Children\'s rights Petition

Some statistics on Abuse

A survey of 130 abused parents found that 76% of the 148 children
ordered by the courts to have contact with their estranged parent were
said to have been abused during visits: 10% were sexually abused; 15%
were physically assaulted; 26% were abducted or involved in an abduction
attempt: 36% were neglected during contact, ...and 62% suffered emotional
harm. Most of these children were under the age of 5 (Radford, Sayer &
AMICA, 1999.)

Further more: 70% of children living in UK refuges have been abused by their father.
(Bowker et al., 1998)

79% of women leave their violent partner because the abuse is affecting their children or they fear for their children's lives. - Humphreys and Thiara (2002)

‎"Relationship to perpetrator: Around two-thirds (66%) of men physically assaulted during the last 12 months said that the perpetrator was a stranger. In contrast, women were less likely to be physically assaulted by a stranger (22%) than by
someone they knew (82%). Almost a third (31%) of women physically
assaulted said that the perpetrator was a current or previous partner,
and 37% reported their attacker as being a family member or friend (see Australian Social Trends 2007, Women's experience of partner violence).
Women were also most likely to be sexually assaulted by someone known
to them (89%), with 29% of those sexually assaulted reporting that the
perpetrator was a current or previous partner, and 39% a family member
or friend."

A study of 200 women’s experiences of domestic violence commissioned
by Women’s Aid, found that 60% of the women had left because they
feared that they or their children would be killed by the perpetrator.
(Humphreys & Thiara, 2002).

In the same study, 76% of separated women suffered post-separation
violence. Of these women:
- 76% were subjected to continued verbal and emotional abuse;
- 41% were subjected to serious threats towards themselves or their
children;
- 23% were subjected to physical violence;
- 6% were subjected to sexual violence;
- 36% stated that this violence was ongoing.
In addition to this, more than half of those with post-separation child
contact arrangements with an abusive ex-partner continued to have
serious, ongoing problems with this contact (Humphreys and Thiara,
2002)

MYTH: Children are not being placed at risk by court ordered contact
FACT: A recent report stated that there are 'serious concerns that contact is
being inappropriately ordered in cases where there are established
risks' (Hunt and Roberts Child contact with non-resident parents 2004 )

42% of all female homicide victims, compared with 4% of male homicide
victims, were killed by current or former partners in England and Wales in the year 2000/01. This equates to 102 women, an average of 2 women each week (Home Office, 2001...).

Between 50% and 60% of women mental health service users have experienced domestic violence, and up to 20% will be experiencing current abuse. (Department of Health, 2003; Bowstead, Janet, 2000; ReSisters, 2002).

From April 2000 to June 2001 there were 30,314 offences under the
Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in London alone (Metropolitan
Police Service). A study carried out by the Home Office found that more
than a third (41%) of cases brought to ...the courts under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, the suspect had previously had an intimate
relationship with the complainant. 33% of the suspects were ex-partners, 4% were relatives, 1% a current partner and 4% were friends. In situations where the suspect previously or currently had an intimate relationship with the victim, 94% of the suspects were men (Home Office Research Study 203, 2000).

Please join me on FaceBook

• STOP the Violence Against Women & Children
  Organize to Resist! Together we can take on the Predators! Let's Break the Silence to End the Violence by working together to make our voices a Resounding SHOUT!!! Perpetrators BEWARE - you don't stand a chance!

Please Note:

_{All names in this article have been changed for legal purposes and to protect the privacy of the Author. Except where otherwise credited, or where text forms part of an external link, this article is under the following copyright:}

_{Copyright © 2010 Mel Stewart, "safe-at-last", of Perth, Western Australia. All rights reserved.}

_{All persons, places and objects shown in the images in this hub are are shown for illustrative purposes only. They bear no relation to any real person or event. All persons shown are paid models. Unless otherwise credited, all images are under the following copyright:}

_{Copyright © 2010 Mel Stewart, "safe-at-last" and Licensors Nodtronics Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.}