All people and communities are free from family violence and have freedom and choice over their lives
All people and communities are free from family violence and have freedom and choice over their lives
The Disability Inclusion and Safety Resource Hub has been developed for organisations and practitioners who are working with people with disability who are experiencing or using family violence.
The Resource Hub provides ready access to important resources that promote safety, accessibility, equity and inclusion of people with disability which can aid in reducing barriers and increasing safety. Resources are relevant to Organisational Leaders, Specialist Family Violence and Sexual Assault Practitioners, Disability Services, Health, Family Support, Education and others.
The Eastern Melbourne Disability Inclusion and Safety Forum has been established to build capacity of organisations to better respond and reduce barriers of access to services for people with disability experiencing or using family violence.
Forums are delivered in partnership with key services and supported by:
• FVREE
• ECASA
• Inner East Child and Family Services Alliance
To see more information about the Disability Inclusion and Safety Forum topics please see below.
To access Recordings or for more information about the Disability Inclusion and Safety Forums, please contact:
Lisa Harrison
Upholding the rights of people with disability when involved with Victoria Police and the Justice System
At the October Forum, we heard from representatives of Victoria Police, Office of the Public Advocate and Department of Justice and Community Safety. Presenters outlined activities and programs that are committed to upholding the rights of people with disability when involved with Victoria Police and the Justice System.
Part One
We were joined by Rochelle Tootell (she/her) who is the Acting Disability Portfolio Manager with Victoria Police. Rochelle with representatives from Victoria Police presented on:
Rochelle is proudly neurodiverse and has 20 years’ experience working with people with Disability. Rochelle has previously worked as a Forensic Behaviour Support Practitioner, supporting people with complex needs as they exited custodial sentences in addition to working at the Victorian Office of the Public Advocate, leading the Independent Third Person Program for many years. In her current role Rochelle is responsible for driving Victoria Police’s organisational wide understanding of disability and ensuring accessible policing services for the disability community.
Part Two
We were joined by Matthew Rasmussen who is the Acting Manager Safeguarding Inclusion and Volunteer Programs from the Office of the Public Advocate. Matthew presented on the Independent Third Persons Program and has worked at the Office of the Public Advocate for the past 20 years in various roles. This has primarily been as an Advocate Guardian until joining the Independent Third Persons/Corrections Independent Support Officer Program last year. He has a background of over 30 years working with people with disability both here in Australia and in the United States. He is excited by the continual evolution of the sector and welcomes the increased input of lived experience in shaping the supports and services provided.
Part Three
We were joined by Dietlind Schutte (she/her) who is an Intermediary with the Department of Justice and Community Safety to present on the Intermediary Program. Dietlind is an Occupational Therapist by training with work experience both in Australia and overseas working with children (upper primary), adolescents, adults, and the elderly in the community health sector. Dietlind undertook specialist training to become an Intermediary in 2018 and have since worked as an intermediary both in VARE’s (Visual and Audio Recording of Evidence) and Court matters. In 2021 she joined the Department of Justice Intermediary team. Her focus as an Intermediary is on understanding trauma/complex trauma and how it can impact communication and a person’s access to/experience of the justice system; engaging and meeting the varied needs of vulnerable people (including the people from diverse backgrounds with English as a second language, people with complex mental health conditions) and how the court environment can impede people’s functional communication in the justice system.
Part Four – Facilitated Panel Discussion
A Facilitated Panel Discussion followed where presenters responded to questions from participants. The Panel Discussion aimed to highlight how we can work collaboratively and best support people with disability, who are experiencing or using family violence, and who are seeking or responding to involvement with Victoria Police or the Justice System.
Centering the voice of people with disability
This Disability Inclusion and Safety Forum was being held on International Day of People with Disability which also falls during the 16 Days of Activism. The focus of the Forum was centering the voices of people with disability, featuring personal stories and insights from individuals and members of disabled persons
organisations.
The Forum also focused on best practice for creating inclusive services that ensures safety and prevents violence and abuse of people with disability.
Link – International Day of People with Disability
Link – 16 Days of Activism
Partners and presentations included:
Women with Disabilities Victoria and Our Watch
Changing the Landscape Project
Changing the landscape: A national resource to prevent violence against women and girls with
disabilities is Our Watch and Women with Disabilities Victoria’s national, evidence-based resource to
guide the prevention of violence against women and girls with disabilities.
Also on this page is a suite of accessible video, audio and static practitioner resources which have
been translated from the Changing the landscape evidence base, in partnership with Women with
Disabilities Victoria.
Link – Our Watch – Change the Story – Changing the Landscape
Presented by:
Lena Molnar (she/her)
Research and Evaluation Lead, Program Manager – Gender Based Violence
Women with Disabilities Victoria
Tess Whelan (she/her)
Disability Sector Advisor
Our Watch
Women with Disabilities Victoria
Resistance & Backlash to Gender & Disability Inclusive Practice
Resistance & Backlash to Gender and Disability Inclusive Practice resource describes the
‘spectrum’ of forms of resistance and helps identify how it can take place in the workplace
when implementing preventing initiatives. This tool will help you to better identify and
challenge barriers of ableism and gender inequality in workplaces to prevent violence against
women with disabilities.
Link – Resistance and Backlash to Gender and Inclusive Practice PDF
Link – Resistance and Backlash to Gender and Inclusive Practice – Word Doc
Presented by:
Stephanie Sayer (she/her)
Prevention Resource Development Officer
Women with Disabilities Victoria
Lena Molnar (she/her)
Research and Evaluation Lead, Program Manager – Gender Based Violence
Women with Disabilities Victoria
Women with Disabilities Victoria and Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health
Preventing Violence Against Migrant and Refugee Women, Non-Binary & Gender Diverse People with Disabilities Project
A collection of resources that aim to build and deepen understanding of the intersection of
race, gender, and disability to take action to promote gender and disability equality for
migrant and refugee women, non-binary and gender diverse people with disabilities.
Link – Preventing Violence Against Women with Disabilities and Multicultural Communities
Presented by:
Stephanie Sayer (she/her)
Prevention Resource Development Officer
Women with Disabilities Victoria
Vahideh Eisae (she/her)
Program Officer
Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health
Aunty Jane Rosengrave
A personal story of survival and resilience
Aunty Jane Rosengrave (she/her) is a proud Yorta Yorta woman, artist and disability
advocate. Aunty Jane has living experience of disability and is widely respected for her
fearless advocacy raising awareness of the unacceptable violence and abuse towards people
with disability.
Aunty Jane shares her story of resilience as a survivor of the stolen generation and childhood
institutionalisation and abuse.
Link – ABC News Report – Disability Royal Commission
Women’s Health East and Youth Disability Advocacy Service
Get the Go-ahead Project
Women’s Health East and Youth Disability Advocacy Service have recently launched Get the
Go-Ahead, a collection of resources about affirmative consent, sexual and reproductive
rights, and prevention of gendered violence for Disabled young adults. Aimed at Disabled
people and those who work with or support us, these resources have been codesigned and
coproduced by a Disabled Young Experts group.
Link – Get the Go-Ahead Resources
Presented by:
Kochava Lilit (they/them, zey/zir)
Project Coordinator, Get the Go-Ahead
Women’s Health East
FVREE
Champions of Change
The Champions of Change program is dedicated to empowering people with a disability to
become agents of change within their local community.
Its primary goal is to enhance the capacity of people with a disability by equipping them with
the necessary skills, confidence, and knowledge to use their voices, identify local issues, and
develop projects aimed at addressing inequality and fostering respect in their community.
Link – Champions for Change mp4
Presented by:
Phoebe Anglim (she/her)
Project Coordinator – Primary Prevention
FVREE
The December Disability Inclusion and Safety Forum was supported by:
• FVREE
• ECASA
• Inner East Child and Family Services Alliance
• Whitehorse City Council
• Women with Disabilities Victoria
• Women’s Health East
• Safe Steps
Presentation slides are also available.
For more information and access to the Recordings, Slides and Resources, please contact Lisa
Harrison lisa.harrison@fvree.org.au
A society in which all communities and people are free from family violence
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