9 October 2025

Following our short break for the 5th World Conference of Women's Shelters, we'll now return to publishing our fortnightly Round Up on our usual schedule. Thank you to everyone who came along to the conference - it was great to see so many of you there! 

• Queensland has established the state's first sexual violence peak body, with a similar peak body for domestic and family violence to be "fast-tracked" 
• "Ballarat embarks on an Australian-first trial to combat gender-based violence" after deaths of three women last year, the Guardian reported last month
• The ABC reports that the ACT will criminalise coercive control by mid-2026
• "NSW Police can monitor phones of DV offenders under new protections for victim-survivors"
• The Guardian reports "Man fined $340,000 for deepfake pornography of prominent Australian women in first-of-its-kind case"

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• The Australian Institute of Criminology have just released their new October report on "Characteristics of image-based sexual abuse recorded by police." You can find the report here. 
• "Some victim-survivors take their own lives. We need to better understand how suicide and family violence are linked" write Australian researchers in The Conversation. 
• Sex Discrimination Commissioner Dr Ana Cody recently spoke at the National Press Club two years into her term.
• "Why is femicide on the rise globally?" asks Al Jazeera's Stephanie Decker. 
• "South Australia’s domestic and sexual violence royal commission recommendations should be embraced across the country"

Events

• A National Day of Action for community and disability sector workers will take place on October 23rd. You can find more information here, and see more on the SCHADs changes below. 
• Registrations have opened for the 2026 Women Deliver Conference in Melbourne. This is the first time Women Deliver will be regionally hosted by the Oceanic Pacific.

Consultation & Research

• Wesnet invites you to participate in our third national study of the use of technology in domestic and family violence, in partnership with researchers from Curtin University & the University of NSW. We are capturing DFV workers' experience and knowledge of ways they see perpetrators using technology in DFV. Participate and find out more here. 
• The Fair Work Commission's Gender-based undervaluation of priority awards review is still underway. "Materials in reply" to existing submissions on the proposed SCHADs awards changes are due October 15th. You can find the timeline for the SCHADs review and more information here. 

Opportunities 

• The Centre of Critical Indigenous Studies at Macquarie University, led by Distinguished Professor Bronwyn Carlson, is seeking PhD candidates to undertake research focused on gender-based violence and indigenous peoples and communities. For more information please contact Dr Tamika Worrell, Director of Research Training in the Centre of Critical Indigenous Studies at [email protected]. Applications close 31 October 2025.

Training and development

• Wesnet is offering technology safety training for SADFV professionals. Follow the link for dates and training descriptions.

Jobs

• Wesnet is expanding our team with the following roles:
• The Senior Policy Officer will play a senior role in developing policy and advocacy materials relating to violence against women, gender inequality, and domestic and family violence. This role will work alongside subject matter experts, senior management, and key stakeholders. 
  
• The Research & Policy Officer (Technology) will focus on research and projects on the intersection of gender-based violence and technology. This role will support Wesnet’s work advocating for victim-survivors of technology facilitated abuse and the services which support them, and assist in ongoing research to strengthen our advocacy. 
• The Finance Officer will work on a part-time basis across a number of areas including Financial Accounting, Reporting, Compliance obligations, Records management and Membership.
• Find all job information and apply here!

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*Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of Wesnet and are included as items of interest only.

If you would like to submit an item please e-mail [email protected]. Inclusion is subject to time and content constraints.

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