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I BELIEVE. In Victim Survivors. In Our Services. In Change.
Men’s violence against women and their children is not confined to a particular social group, community, income bracket or location – it is a scourge that permeates every part of our society.
I commit to believing all victim survivors.
Men’s violence against women is driven by gender inequality in society along with the ongoing effects of racism and colonisation.
I commit to addressing that inequality at every level.
Ending men’s violence against women and their children will require long-term commitment across all levels of government.
I commit to supporting long-term, fully funded sustainable solutions.
Gender-based violence is a significant contributor to women’s ill-health.
I commit to advocating for safe, trauma-informed, non-stigmatising community health services.
Children are victims in their own right and the use of violence is a parenting choice.
I commit to supporting child victims of abuse by ensuring they have the help needed to heal and recover.
Safety is a human right and women and children deserve to feel safe in their own homes.
I commit to advocating for the full funding of availability of emergency, transitional, and long-term accommodation options for those in need.
Women’s health and women’s health services matter.
I commit to advocating for essential health and support services to be accessible to all women, no matter their income, background, or location.
Women with lived experience and specialist family and domestic violence services hold a wealth of expertise.
I commit to honouring their stories and letting their experiences drive reform.
To (insert name here)
RE: Urgent action on violence against women and children
I am writing to you as my local candidate about a human rights issue that is of great importance to me and the whole community.
Western Australia has the second highest rates of family and domestic violence in the country. Women and children across our State are dying and living in fear because of men’s violence. This is as unacceptable as it is preventable.
*WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU/YOUR COMMUNITY*
EXAMPLE: Every day in our community we hear of the devastating effects family, domestic and sexual violence has on women and children. These ongoing effects can be physical, mental, economic and social and permeate every aspect of our communities.
Statistics show that if you have not experienced family, domestic and/or sexual violence then you likely know someone who has. Equally, men in all corners of society perpetrate violence and are currently not being held sufficiently accountable for their actions. Violence is at unprecedented levels, and we need urgent change in this epidemic.
To keep women and children safe, the State Government must:
We cannot afford to let these essential supports fall by the wayside.
Your leadership on this issue could make a transformative difference in the lives of countless women and families across our state. Thank you for your time and advocacy on this incredibly important issue.
Sign
Date
Contact details
To (insert name here)
RE: Urgent action on violence against women and children
I am writing to you as my local candidate about the devastating impact sexual violence has on Western Australian communities. Despite high rates in our community, little has changed for the victim-survivors of these acts.
Victim-survivors receive little support along their justice and healing journey. This must change.
*WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU/YOUR COMMUNITY*
EXAMPLE: Every day in our community we hear of the devastating impact sexual violence has on women and children. These ongoing effects can be physical, mental, economic and social and permeate every aspect of our communities.
37% of girls will be sexually abused as a child, and 23% of WA women aged 15 and older will be sexually assaulted at least once in their lifetime. WA Police record about 600 sexual offences every month. We know there are significantly more cases because stigma, shame and lack of services mean 91% do not report. Very few cases ever result in conviction, partly because of high attrition rates due to lack of supports for victim-survivors. Perpetrators of these devastating crimes are not being held to account.
Areas of serious concern include:
We cannot afford to let these essential supports fall by the wayside.
Your leadership on this issue could make a transformative difference in the lives of countless women and families across our state. Thank you for your time and advocacy on this incredibly important issue.
Sign
Date
Contact details
To (insert name here)
RE: Urgent action on women’s health
I am writing to express my concern about the critical challenges facing Women’s Community Health Services and to request your support in securing sustainable funding for these essential services.
Women’s Community Health Services provide trauma-informed, holistic care tailored to women’s lived experiences and their health needs. These include safe and accessible maternal, reproductive and sexual health services, counselling and mental health support, female GP and nurse access and support for family, domestic, and sexual violence survivors.
These services are a lifeline for countless women in our community, providing critical support for those navigating complex mental and physical health issues, financial hardship and the lasting trauma of domestic violence or sexual assault. Without the safety net of Women’s Community Health Services, these women would be left unsupported and without the healthcare they need.
*WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU/YOUR COMMUNITY*
If you’re comfortable, sharing a brief personal story or local angle can make the email more impactful.
Investing in these services is not only the right thing to do but also a smart, preventative approach that reduces the long-term strain on our healthcare system. I urge you to advocate for the safeguarding of funding for women’s community health services as a priority, with a commitment to ensuring these services are not reduced during times of political or economic pressure.
Your leadership on this issue could make a transformative difference in the lives of countless women and families across our state.
Sign
Date
Contact details
Every victim-survivor deserves to be believed, supported, and empowered. Every child deserves to feel safe and secure.
We believe:
If we act together, we can end men’s violence against women and children Our specialist family and domestic violence services must be fully funded so they can keep saving lives Perpetrator interventions must be fully funded, coordinated and timely to increase the safety of victim-survivors
Take the Pledge to support survivors and commit to meaningful change: cwsw.org.au/believe/get-involved.
Did you know?
Many family and domestic violence services face uncertain futures due to underfunding Women and children in crisis are often turned away or face waitlists for critical support High demand is leading to burnout in the family and domestic violence workforce Funding across the four domains of the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children isn’t sufficient to stop re-victimisation and prevent violence and coercion from occurring
Services that can’t meet demand or keep staff safe leave women at risk.
Contact your local candidates to demand fully funded, sustainable solutions for women and children fleeing violence, using our letter templates here: cwsw.org.au/believe/get-involved/#write-to-member.
We believe in a future where no woman or child has to choose between violence and homelessness. Fully funding emergency, transitional, and long-term housing for survivors is not optional — it’s essential.
That’s why we’re calling for long-term, fully funded solutions for emergency and transitional accommodation for women and children escaping violence across Western Australia.
Contact your local candidate to make it clear this issue matters to you, using our letter templates here: cwsw.org.au/believe/get-involved/#write-to-member.
Violence is at unprecedented levels, and it’s impacting our entire community. If you haven’t experienced it yourself, you likely know someone who is.
We believe it’s time we stood together against violence against women and children.
Please stand with us by taking the Pledge: cwsw.org.au/believe/get-involved/.
The Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians and first peoples of Australia. We recognise the impacts of colonisation and dispossession and the contemporary disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing is committed to working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and men to end violence against their women and children in Western Australia.
The Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing acknowledges the strength and resilience of adults, children and young people who have experienced family and domestic violence. We pay respects to those who did not survive and acknowledge the families, friends and communities who have lost loved ones to this preventable and widespread issue. We are committed to ensuring responses to family and domestic violence are informed by lived experience.
The Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing recognises, welcomes and respects people of diverse gender, sex and sexuality. We are committed to greater inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people (LGBTIQ).
