International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women 2020
'We cannot end violence against women without addressing the cultural drivers which normalise and fuel it.'
November 25 is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It marks the first of 16 days of activism to raise awareness about male violence against women and amplify the global call to end it.
In our decade of work to end sexual exploitation we’ve repeatedly highlighted the links between a culture which glamourises violence against women - in advertising, marketing, products, music and film - and societal attitudes which tolerate it. We cannot end violence against women without addressing the cultural drivers which normalise and fuel it.
Read moreAnother win! Melb BBQ company forced to remove violent anti-women promo after our campaign
Thanks for flood of complaints, promos removed in less than 24 hours
After our flash-campaign against it, Melbourne-based BBQ company Boss Hogg and the Duchess of Pork pulled its violent, anti-women promo material and issued an apology.
Read moreInternational Day of the Girl 2020 – Our long history of standing up for girls
Sunday marks the annual UN International Day of the Girl (#IDG2020). This year’s theme is ‘My voice, our equal future’.
Click here to give, and help girls know their true value on Day of the Girl
Our Movement Director, Melinda Tankard Reist, was a delegate at the Beijing Women’s Conference 25 years ago when the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the global agenda for advancing the rights and empowerment of women and girls - was formulated.
Read moreSubmission to Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Inquiry
House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence
Read moreSubmission to Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Inquiry
Late last year we made a submission to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 Inquiry. We detailed several cases where legal prostitution businesses in Australia and abroad have been found to be engaging in criminal activity including human trafficking. We also described international experience showing that legalisation of prostitution typically gives rise to human trafficking activity.
We stated our strong support of prevention and prosecution of Live Distant Child Abuse, pointing to the grave harms children suffer as the result of these crimes. We highlighted the need for financial institutions to stop facilitating pay-per-view child abuse, and called for heftier financial penalties to enforce this.
We made four recommendations addressing sexual exploitation as a predicate crime in relation to money laundering. We argued also that where sexual exploitation is legalised, criminal activity such as human trafficking, violence, and money laundering intensifies.
We recommended:
- That the sex industry be included in any regulatory mechanisms intended to address money laundering.
- That Live Distant Child Abuse be targeted through strengthening anti-money laundering strategies.
- That cryptocurrencies be addressed in anti-money laundering strategies.
- That international best practice in prostitution legislation could assist in combating money laundering.
Read the full submission here.
*You will note a section of our appendix at page 5 has been redacted. We are seeking to find out why.
Racist, violent, misogynist: Does Instagram care about women and girls?
*Content warning: themes and images are distressing
Read more"Blissfully bound”: Honey Birdette eroticisation of violence harms women
Content Warning - sex shop advertising, depicts eroticised violence against women
For years, Honey Birdette sex shops have relied on sexist and objectifying representations of women to flog their products, despite claiming to empower women.
Read more