Provision of information can be instrumental in leveraging violence against women onto the agendas of different state sectors and structures (Abrahams, 2005). Specifically, information on the scale and costs of violence against women and appropriate responses can be hugely persuasive. Governments can also ensure that strategies for addressing violence against women are based on promising practices and proven effectiveness. By collecting and disseminating relevant national and international knowledge and data, governments utilise the lessons from previous experiences of delivering coordinated responses.
Knowledge management can be achieved through:
- Establishing/financing a national centre of excellence, clearing house or similar body to collate relevant national and international research, training and promising practices;
- Developing channels for information transfer and reporting between local/regional and national coordination bodies;
- Supporting the development of learning groups and communities of practice focused on specific issues;
- Issuing briefing notes/guidance on promising practices and proven strategies and approaches;
- Developing monitoring and evaluation capacities to capture good practice lessons; and
- Convening targeted conferences, workshops and seminars where stakeholders from throughout the world can learn from one another about effective approaches to addressing violence against women.
Example: The Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault and the Australian National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (Australia)
Both of these organisations were established by the Australian government as part of their strategies to prevent forms of violence against women to act as central points for the collection and dissemination of Australian domestic and international domestic violence and sexual assault policy, practice and research.
The Australian Institute of Family Studies and its predecessor, the Domestic and Family Violence Clearing House, was originally set up as part of the government’s National Initiative to Combat Sexual Assault to facilitate access to the evidence-base on sexual assault and support organisations, agencies and others to use research and evidence in shaping policy, practice and research relating to sexual assault. The Institute collects, synthesises and summarises developments in:
research and evaluation;
practice knowledge and resources;
law reform and legislation; and
policy initiatives.
The Australian National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety is a national organisation, which provides information about domestic and family violence issues and practice. It supports specialist and generalist service providers, government agencies, researchers, advocates and activists in their efforts to prevent and address domestic violence, through the dissemination of information and research, and through facilitating discussion. The Organisation:
publishes newsletters and papers on key issues, policy, legislation, training and new initiatives; maintains a library of research and resources and an online database of good practice programs;
provides an information service to users; and
provides forums for discussion and debate.
Sources: Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault website and Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse website