Run by the Advocacy unit at Uniting Communities the Improving Intervention Orders event included a panel discussion around advocacy and research into breaches of Intervention Orders in Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) matters in South Australia.
Panel members shared insights into the many challenges and barriers to gaining and using Intervention Orders. The audience was then engaged in an informative discussion around how to seek opportunities to improve the effectiveness of intervention orders for women who experience violence from men.
The workshop was opened by Attorney General and Deputy Premier Vicki Chapman, welcoming over 80 guests to U City for the event.
Panel members included:
Katrine Hildyard MP - Member for Reynell
Nicole Stockdale - Solicitor UC Law Centre – Specialist Elder Abuse
Dr Nada Ibrahim - UniSA Justice and Society
Dr Michele Jarldorn - UniSA and Seeds of Affinity
Prof Sarah Wendt - Flinders Uni Social Work
Gabrielle Canny - Legal Services Commission of SA
Jennifer Kingwell – Embolden
Marise Karunaratne – Uniting Communities – Therapeutic Counselling
Sharon Walker-Roberts APM - SAPOL Manager Policy and Training Unit, Family and Domestic Violence Section
Uniting Communities Executive Peter McDonald, who oversees the Advocacy unit and was a key organiser of the event said, “Uniting Communities is working towards improving the way intervention orders provide safety for women, children and men. The Advocacy unit at Uniting Communities recognises that creating this change in a topic that is very complex, needs to be discussed with everyone involved in the system.”
At Uniting Communities we are disturbed by the violence that sometimes occurs against women and children even when intervention orders are in place. This workshop was our first attempt to bring people together to discuss, what we can improve in intervention orders and to start an important conversation to take the necessary first steps to creating this change.
Our first workshop has had a great response from across the sectors and the community and we look forward to continuing the discussion and making more progress..”
Uniting Communities is looking forward to hosting more workshops in the future and opening the discussion further among all those in the sector.
