Australian women are more likely to have experienced violence than watched the finale of Masterchef

Today, Kate Ellis, Minister for the Status of Women launches a national free 24-hour helpline (1800 RESPECT ) for women who have experienced or are at risk of physical or sexual violence. She writes :

“The next time you go to the movies, the next time you’re shopping at the mall, the next time you’re at the gym – think of this: Every woman you meet is more likely to have experienced some kind of physical or sexual violence than to have watched the finale of the last season of Masterchef.

Every woman you meet is more likely to have experienced physical or sexual violence than to have divorced parents. Than to have been born overseas. Than to have more than two children.

The horrible reality is that nearly one in three Australian women experience physical violence and almost one in five women are victims of sexual violence. In any one calendar year nearly half a million Australian women experience physical or sexual violence.

These are shameful, disturbing figures and of course we must make it a priority to reduce the incidence of violence against women and take a zero tolerance approach to all forms of violence. But the best efforts to prevent violence must also be coupled with work to deliver justice for victims and to improve support services.

Despite the alarming incidence of violence against women – less than ten percent of these women who experience sexual assault will seek professional help to manage the experience which they have suffered.

While we know that speaking out can assist coping and recovery there are literally tens of thousands of Australian women suffering in silence, bottling up their feelings or too scared and ashamed to ask for help.

From today Australians who have experienced – or are at risk of – physical or sexual violence will have access to a new national telephone counselling service, with the launch of 1800 RESPECT, (1800 737 732).

We know that the sooner people get real help and assistance the more beneficial it can be. Rather than just acting as a referral service, qualified counsellors from the NSW Rape Crisis Centre will deliver professional, specialist counselling services on a free and confidential basis 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Those, especially in rural and remote areas, who haven’t had ready access to this level of professional counselling before can now receive both instant advice and ongoing support and assistance.

Launched today as a vital telephone service the service will be expanded over coming months to utilise technology and recognise newer forms of communication with confidential on-line services giving women more options about the way that they seek support.

The statistics of violence against women overall are staggering and shameful. They are worse for indigenous women and women with disabilities. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that indigenous women are 35 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence as other women.

This service will meet the needs of people with disabilities, indigenous Australians, young people, and callers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The new counselling service will provide support for men, in addition to the additional funding the Government has also committed to Mensline to improve counselling services for male victims.

The incidence of violence in our community and our households and neighbourhoods is staggeringly high and must be reduced. We must also let the tens of thousands of Australian women who are suffering in silence know that they are not alone. From today they have one more avenue to speak out, to get support and to start the process of healing as we work to break the cycle of violence.”

In 2004 Kate Ellis became the youngest woman ever elected to the Australian House of Representatives. In June 2008 Kate was given extra ministerial responsibilities, becoming Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth; and Minister for Sport.

Since the 2010 Election, Kate is now appointed as Minister for Employment Participation and Child Care and the Minister for the Status of Women. Mama Mia readers may remember Kate as a strong campaigner for positive body image in her previous role as Minister for Youth and for her work in reform of the child care sector to lift the quality of early education and care across Australia .

If you are at risk of or have experienced physical or sexual violence, you can call the free 24 hr national counselling service on 1800 RESPECT, (1800 737 732).