Let's change the story: Violence against women in Australia

Summary

This video highlights the tragic and pervasive issue of violence against women in Australia. It brings attention to how deeply rooted gender inequality contributes to the alarming rates of violence against women, with one Australian woman murdered each week. Through the tale of a boy and a girl growing up in a society that undervalues women, it illustrates the development of toxic social norms and stereotypes that perpetuate gender-based violence. However, it also calls for change, urging viewers to work towards gender equality through education, policy reforms, and societal support to end this vicious cycle.

Highlights

• Opening with a stark statistic: One Australian woman is murdered almost every week due to domestic violence. 🚨
• Gender roles are ingrained in children from a young age through observations and societal norms. 👫
• As adults, these gender stereotypes contribute to inequality in workplaces and relationships. 💼
• Women often face career setbacks, social isolation, and financial dependency, exacerbating vulnerability to violence. 📉
• Call to action: Gender equality through systemic changes can rewrite the narrative and reduce violence. 💪

Key Takeaways

• Gender inequality is a significant contributor to violence against women in Australia. 🚨
• Every week, an Australian woman is murdered due to gender-based violence. ⚠️
• Social norms and stereotypes begin shaping perceptions about gender roles from a young age. 👧👦
• A call for action: Better education, policies, and societal support are crucial in ending violence against women. 📚🤝
• Creating equal opportunities and respect between genders can reduce the likelihood of violence against women. 🌟

Overview

In Australia, every two minutes, a story unfolds that speaks volumes about the state of gender inequality: a woman is subjected to violence. The narrative often begins in childhood, where ingrained social norms dictate the roles and perceptions of girls and boys, laying a foundation for inequalities that follow them into adulthood.

The video from Our Watch illustrates the typical journey of an Australian man and woman, shedding light on how societal expectations and unequal opportunities shape their lives. From unequal pay to unbalanced domestic responsibilities, these experiences underscore how deeply-rooted gender disparities perpetuate a cycle of violence and dependency.

Despite the stark realities presented, the video offers hope and a rallying cry for change. By addressing these inequalities through education, policy improvements, and societal support, it’s possible to foster respectful, equal relationships and communities. The end goal: to make violence against women not just less common, but unthinkable.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: The Bigger Story of Violence Against Women 'The Bigger Story of Violence Against Women' explores the pervasive and alarming issue of gender-based violence in Australia. It highlights the frequency and ubiquity of these incidents, presenting them as a universal narrative that occurs across different households and regions. The chapter emphasizes the role of gender inequality in contributing to the tragic outcomes of violence against women, underscoring the gravity of the problem without offering a resolution or happy ending.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Early Gender Socialization This chapter explores the concept of early gender socialization, illustrating how societal norms and expectations shape the lives of boys and girls from a young age. Girls are often praised for their looks rather than their intelligence and are taught to expect harassment as a part of life. Boys learn to see women as unequal, internalizing these gender biases early in life.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Societal Norms and Inequality The chapter explores societal norms and their contribution to inequality, focusing on gender roles within the family and society. It illustrates how these norms shape behaviors and attitudes, citing an example where a boy is discouraged from showing vulnerability and is encouraged to be aggressive. These norms contribute to a society that devalues women and expects men to be dominant, perpetuating disrespect, hostility, and violence against women.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Adult Relationships and Control The chapter discusses the dynamics of adult relationships and issues of control and inequality. A girl grows into a woman and a boy into a man; they start dating. An early sign of control surfaces when he jokingly comments on her weight, making her unsure how to react. Despite having the same education and job, he earns more and gets promoted faster, reflecting gender inequality in the workplace. At home, traditional gender roles persist as she handles the household chores while he manages their finances, highlighting a power imbalance in their relationship.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Financial and Social Dependence The chapter titled "Financial and Social Dependence" explores the dynamics of a relationship where one partner is the main financial provider. The narrative illustrates how the man demeans his partner publicly and dismisses his behavior by blaming external factors like alcohol and stress. The woman experiences job discrimination when her employer refuses to accommodate part-time work after her pregnancy. This, coupled with inadequate childcare options, leads to her social isolation and financial reliance on her partner, who exercises control over her life and decisions.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Prevalence and Impact of Violence The chapter 'Prevalence and Impact of Violence' discusses the power imbalance in a relationship where the woman is dependent on her partner, leading to increased isolation and silence about the abuse she faces. It highlights the widespread nature of this issue, noting that 1 in 4 Australian women have experienced violence from a partner.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Children and the Cycle of Violence The chapter titled 'Children and the Cycle of Violence' explores the prevalence and impact of violence, noting that 1 in 5 individuals experience sexual violence, 1 in 4 endure emotional violence, and 1 in 3 women face physical violence from the age of 15. It highlights the significant exposure of children to such violence, with nearly half of women reporting that their children had witnessed or overheard acts of violence by an ex-partner. The discussion extends to the societal roots of violence against women, linking it to systemic gender inequality.
• 03:30 - 04:00: Changing the Narrative This chapter discusses the importance of changing the societal narrative to prevent violence against women. It emphasizes that better education, improved policies, supportive practices, and funding are essential steps in rewriting this common story. The chapter argues that when women and men possess equal power, value, and opportunities both in relationships and society, the likelihood of violence against women decreases. It advocates for nurturing caring, respectful, and equal relationships while focusing on creating an equitable environment.

Let's change the story: Violence against women in Australia Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 This is the story of a boy, and a girl. It's a universal story. And an Australian story. It's a story that occurs every two minutes, in fact. A story that happens 657 times a day, every day of the year. And in every kind of household, and every city and region across Australia. This is the bigger story behind violence against women. This story doesn't have a happy ending. Because this is the story of how gender inequality contributes to the murder of one Australian
• 00:30 - 01:00 woman almost every week. Sounds like a tall tale, right? Let's take things back to the start. Here's the story of a regular woman. As a girl, she gets told how pretty she is, never how clever she is. That if she wears a short dress she's asking for it. She grows up, and gets used to being harassed by men on the street. That's just the way it is. Here's the story of a regular man. As a boy, he learns that women aren't equal to men from a very early age.
• 01:00 - 01:30 Even though both his parents work, on the weekends his mum does the housework while dad watches sport. When he cries about being bullied at school, his dad tells him to 'stop being such a girl' and just 'punch 'em right back.' Technically speaking, we'd say that these social norms, practices and structures have shaped both the boy and the girl, creating a society where women are valued less and men are expected to be dominant and in control. In such a world, disrespect and hostility is excused, and violence against women is
• 01:30 - 02:00 far more likely. But back to our story. The girl grows up into a woman, the boy grows into a man, and they begin to date. He jokes that he hopes she doesn't get fat now that they're together. She's not sure whether she should laugh. They have the same education and do similar work, yet he earns more money. He is quickly promoted, like other men in the company, while she gets overlooked. At home, she does all the household chores, and he takes control of their joint finances,
• 02:00 - 02:30 seeing as he's the main breadwinner and all. When they're at the pub, he puts her down in in front of his mates. His friends stay quiet. In the morning he wakes up and blames the alcohol. And stress. He always has an excuse. When she gets pregnant, her boss says she can't come back part-time. After the baby is born, the lack of flexible job opportunities and childcare keeps her out of the workforce. She is socially isolated and financially dependent on him. He controls decision making, and her.
• 02:30 - 03:00 They are not equals. She is dependent on him for everything. So she never tells anyone that he has started to hit her. She doesn't say anything to her family or friends. She grows more isolated. She has nothing else but him, so she lives with the violence, until their story ends, one way or another. This story isn't a one-off. It's a story shared by 1 in 4 Australian women who have experienced physical or sexual violence from a current or former partner.
• 03:00 - 03:30 And it's a story of one in five who experience sexual violence including rape, one in four emotional violence and one in three women physical violence since the age of 15. It's also a story that affects children. Almost half of the women who experience violence by an ex-partner said children had seen or heard the violence. For victims & perpetrators, violence against women is the conclusion often reached after a life lived in a society where women and men aren't treated equally.
• 03:30 - 04:00 But we - you, and I - can change the narrative. Better education, policies, practices, support and funding can prevent this all-too-common story. When women and men have equal power, value and opportunities in relationships and in society, violence against women is less likely. By nurturing caring, respectful and equal relationships, and by creating equitable and
• 04:00 - 04:30 inclusive communities, workplaces and institutions, we can create a society of equality and respect where violence against women is unthinkable. Let's change the story. Because ending violence against women starts with gender equality.