Latest Newsletter
The June 2008 CDFVR newsletter is now available for download.
Some of the articles include:
- Training opportunity - Course in Responding to Domestic and Family Violence
- 5th Annual Indigenous Family Violence Prevention Forum
- Introducing Ministerial Advisory Council
- 2008 Queensland Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Awards
Indigenous Family Violence Prevention Forum
"Addressing Problems - Sharing Solutions"
Wednesday May 14 and Thursday May 15, 2008
The Indigenous Family Violence Prevention Forum is an annual event convened by CDFVR in conjunction with its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group. Keynote speakers from this year’s Forum were Pat Anderson, Co-Chair of the Board of Inquiry into Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse and co-author of Little Children are Sacred Report; Professor Chris Cunneen, NewSouth Global Chair in Criminology, UNSW; and Randal Ross, Indigenous Men’s Health Research, Indigenous Health Unit, JCU.
This year’s Forum “Addressing Problems – Sharing Solutions” featured a strong focus on programs that are currently in use, as well as information from services that deal directly with children and young people.
Papers and presentations from this Forum are now available here.
Distinguished Visitor seminar – Professor Chris Cunneen
"Improving Responses to Family and Domestic Violence in Queensland Indigenous Communities"
May 13, 2008, 2.30pm - 3.45pm
Professor Cunneen’s seminar intended to present insights from his recent research into the use and effectiveness of Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPO) by Indigenous women in Queensland as a legal response mechanism to family violence particularly in rural and remote communities. This research was commissioned by the Queensland Department of Communities, and at the time of preparing the abstract and advertising material for the seminar, Professor Cunneen anticipated the research report being completed and approved by the Department of Communities. However, delays in accessing state government data and departmental requirements in relation to releasing research results required Professor Cunneen to adjust the content of his seminar to reflect only existing data in the field of family violence in Indigenous communities, including data collected by CDFVR.
Unfortunately, the necessity of this adjustment became apparent only shortly before the scheduled presentation and it was therefore impractical for the Centre to postpone the delivery of the seminar.
Professor Cunneen’s adjusted seminar presented a context for his research including a number of case studies which highlighted the problems in accessing legal support and protection, an examination of recently analysed family violence data collected by CDFVR, and commentary on the challenges and consequences of inconsistent quality in government data for the development of evidence-based policy and service provision. He concluded with a range of discussion points that aimed to explore possibilities for more effective interventions into family violence in Indigenous communities in Queensland.
Professor Cunneen has a national and international reputation as a leading criminologist specialising in Indigenous People and the Law, Juvenile Justice, Restorative Justice, Policing, Prison Issues, Hate Crime, and Human Rights. In addition to his numerous academic and research achievements, Chris served as the Chairperson of the New South Wales Juvenile Justice Advisory Council (2000-2007) and was a member of the New South Wales Aboriginal Child Sexual Assault Taskforce (2003-2006). He has conducted research work for a number of Indigenous and human rights organisations, including the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and their National Inquiry into Racist Violence; and was a consultant to the National Inquiry into Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families.
A DVD of Professor Cunneen’s seminar will be available (no charge) at the end of June. Please contact Michelle Bradford on m.bradford@cqu.edu.au if you would like to receive a copy.