News

Campaign tackles family violence

Thu, 30 Jan 2014 08:51:00

A hard-hitting series of television commercials have started to air on television screens across North West Victoria this holiday season to confront the high rates of domestic violence in the region.

The project is part of the Victorian Government's Reducing Violence against Women and their Children Grants Initiative, under the Koori Community Safety Grants Program.

The commercials have been developed and designed by community members from Mildura, Robinvale and Swan Hill.  NBS Productions filmed and produced the TV Commercials at locations across Mildura, Swan Hill, Mungo and Robinvale using local community members as actors and production assistants. 

The six commercials were developed under Mallee District Aboriginal Service’s Community Safety Project, with the first two in the series now going to air.
MDAS project officer Ada Peterson said all the advertisements deliver a clear message that family violence is unacceptable.
“Mildura and Swan Hill have some of the highest rates of family violence in Victoria – 40 percent above the State average,” Ms Peterson said.
“Family violence is not just an Aboriginal problem, it’s a community problem and these advertisements will carry a message to the entire community,” she said.
“But family violence rates are higher in Koori communities and by using local Aboriginal community members as actors in the project commercials, our aim is for the Koori community to see the campaign messages as directly relevant.”
“These ads send the message loud and clear to everyone, but particularly to the Koori community that family violence is not OK and the time to stop family violence is now.”
The advertisements are airing on Win TV and Prime, and focus on a range of scenes which demonstrate the human and family cost of domestic violence and its impacts. The first two of the series of six commercials began airing over the Christmas period and the remaining advertisements will be scheduled over the next two years. 
The advertisements are the next phase of the $600,000 Community Violence Project that began being rolled out in the region during 2013.
“The campaign uses original approaches to tackling family violence on a number of fronts,” Ms Ada said.
“We have delivered innovative awareness and resilience-building programs for women, particularly young women, across the region, such as the Dilly Bag Program and Sisters Day Out,” she said.
“We are also using Dardi Munwurro’s successful behavioural change programs for men and boys.
“Our Early Years team is also delivering targeted information sessions to the Swan Hill and Robinvale communities to young parents to try to create generational change.
“On a corporate level, MDAS is using a Cultural Awareness Program for our own staff and those of other organisations across the Loddon Mallee region.”
Ms Peterson said the Community Safety Project was taking an approach to changing behaviours and community outcomes that was unprecedented in Victoria.
“We have to be prepared to build awareness as well as mentor and support people – and to take this issue on as community,” she said.
“It’s an exciting project that is now coming to fruition that aims to change behaviours now and to help our next generation to do things differently.” 
MDAS would like to formally thank the organisations and people who were involved in the making of the TV Commercials including Mildura Base Hospital, Monash University, Ambulance Victoria, Victoria Police, Department of Human Services, Murray Valley Aboriginal Cooperative, The Family violence Regional Action Group, Local and Regional Aboriginal Justice Action Committees and Indigenous Family Regional Action Group.
More information on the Community Safety Project is available at www.mdas.org.au/familyviolence