Conference To Address Domestic & Family Violence For LGBTIQ People (Media Release)

Addressing the problem of domestic and family abuse in the relationships of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people will be the focus of a unique conference in Sydney in September.

To be opened by the NSW Minister for Family and Community Services and Minister for Women Pru Goward, the conference - the first of its kind in Australia - is designed to help workers in the health, social services, legal and law enforcement sectors to better understand and respond to domestic and family violence experienced by people of diverse sex, sexuality and/or gender.

The conference is being presented by the LGBTIQ Domestic Violence Interagency, a partnership of various legal, health and welfare organisations including NSW Police, the City of Sydney, SOAAR (the Greater Western Sydney network), the Inner City Legal Service and ACON, NSW's and Australia's largest GLBT health and HIV/AIDS organisation.

Kate Duffy, Chair of the LGBTIQ Domestic Violence Interagency says, "Domestic and family violence occur at similar rates for LGBTIQ people as heterosexual women (1 in 3) and research shows that the level and types of abuse are comparable. In a climate where there is still a lack of equality in terms of explicit legal recognition of LGBTIQ relationships in Australia, this conference offers an opportunity to address some of the unique needs of LGBTIQ people as well as providing a forum to discuss healthy relationship models for people of diverse sex, sexuality and/or gender."

ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill says, "the conference marks an important step in responding to some of the recommendations made in the One Size Does Not Fit All report released by ACON in 2011. The report highlighted a number of gaps in terms of mainstream domestic violence service provision to LGBTIQ people and their families and this conference offers an opportunity for mainstream and specialist services to work together, share good practice and ensure that appropriate support is available."

Topics that will be explored during the conference include:

• working with male victims and perpetrators of abuse
• how young LGBTIQ people feel about healthy relationships
• best practice police responses to LGBTIQ domestic and family violence
• collaboration between government and NGO services

Presenters at the conference include:

• Elizabeth Broderick, Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Aus. Human Rights Commission
• Delia Quigley, United Nations spokesperson on sexual and gender based violence
• Chief Supt Donna Adney, NSW Police spokesperson on LGBTIQ issues
• Monique Schafter, producer, presenter for ABC's Hungry Beast

What, when, where?

What: National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) Domestic Violence Conference
When: Friday 16 September 2011, 8:30am - 4:30pm
Where: The Rex Centre, 58A Macleay Street Kings Cross, Sydney
Cost: Full $60 / Students $35 

REGISTER: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

More info

Media Contact: Kate Duffy, Interagency Chair, Solicitor at Safe Relationships Project, Inner City Legal Centre
Email: kate@iclc.org.au
Phone: (02) 9332 1966