|
|
Immigrant Women's
Domestic Violence Service
GPO Box 2905
Melbourne 3001
Ph: 9898 3145 public line
Ph: 8415 1712 admin line
Fax: 9898 1049
Email: iwdvs@infoxchange.net.au |
|
|
The Immigrant Women’s Domestic Violence Service (IWDVS) is a statewide service, which provides support and crisis intervention to women and children of culturally, and linguistically diverse backgrounds who experience domestic violence. Currently linguistic support is provided with the following languages: Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Turkish, Dari. Pushtu, Farsi, Kurdish, Persian, Amharic, Tigree, Tigrenyan Sudanese(Arabic, Dinka and Nure,
Shilluk), Russian, Ukrainian. Bel Russian, Bulgarian, Greek, Serbian, Macedonian, Bosnian, Croatian, Slovenian, Spanish (covering more than 20 Spanish speaking countries) and Arabic (covering more than 20 Arabic speaking countries). We work with interpreters when we do not have a caseworker who speaks the client’s language.
Vision
IWDVS’s vision is for all women and children to be in control of their own lives in a society free from violence, that includes discrimination.
Purpose
IWDVS gives voice and provides culturally sensitive services, statewide, to meet the needs of women and children from CALD backgrounds affected by domestic violence.
Values
We believe in feminist and human rights principles
We prioritise the importance of achieving safety
We respect women’s individual differences and values
We uphold the rights of women to make their own decisions
We honour confidentiality, trust and the right to privacy
We foster the professionalism of our staff and Board
We acknowledge the importance of working collaboratively
Policy Context in Victoria
IWDVS fully supports the principles of the Victorian
Integrated Strategy. The Framework is informed by the broad
principles in Government’s Women’s Safety Strategy, which
aims to reduce the level of, and fear, of violence against
women in Victoria. The following principles will guide the
provision of domestic violence services and Victoria legal
response:
- Responses to family violence can be improved through the development of a multi faceted approach in which the responses of relevant sectors are integrated and specifically designed to enhance the safety of women and children.
- Family violence is a fundamental violation of human rights and is unacceptable in any form.
- Physical and sexual violence within the family is a crime that warrants a string and effective criminal justice response.
- Responses to family violence must recognise and address the power imbalance and gender inequality between those using family violence (predominantly men), and those experiencing family violence (predominantly women and children).
- The safety of women and children who have experienced or who are experiencing family violence is of paramount consideration in any response to family violence and must be addressed.
- Men who use violence should be held accountable for their use and to learn non-violent ways of interacting.
- Family violence will not be effectively prevented unless Government and non-Government agencies, and Victorian Communities, give clear and consistent messages though their actions that family violence is unacceptable in any form.
- The effective prevention of family violence requires a combination of approaches that include changing community attitudes and behaviour, responding to people at risk at the earliest possible stage, and improving responses to victims and perpetrators of violence.
- Family violence is not acceptable in any community or culture. Culture is never an excuse for violence.
- Responses to family violence must take into account the needs and experiences of women and children from diverse backgrounds and communities, including: cultural and linguistic diversity, geographical location, disability, sexuality and age
|
|
|
|
