Intersectionality Matters

Violence against women and girls occurs in all countries and it cuts across all social differences such as race, ethnicity, sexuality, socioeconomic class, ability and faith. There may be differences in the types of violence that women and girls experience, but all forms of violence are unacceptable. Australia's National Framework for Prevention, Change the Story, shows that by working together towards gender equality, we can address the key drivers of violence against women. This type...
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Violence against women and girls occurs in all countries and it cuts across all social differences such as race, ethnicity, sexuality, socioeconomic class, ability and faith. There may be differences in the types of violence that women and girls experience, but all forms of violence are unacceptable. Australia's National Framework for Prevention, Change the Story, shows that by working together towards gender equality, we can address the key drivers of violence against women. This type of activity is called primary prevention.This guide builds on Change the Story, addressing the ways in which the intersections between gendered inequality and other forms of inequality impact on peoples' lives and experiences. This guide aims to help people and organisations develop violence prevention approaches, strategies and activities in a way that effectively engages immigrant and refugee communities to prevent violence against women. It has been written to be as practical as possible in indicating what best practice should look like. Part 1 explains why feminism, intersectionality and moving away from a simplistic understanding of culture are essential for an effective approach to prevention work. Part 2 summarises some of the key principles for making your violence prevention work meaningful for immigrant and refugee communities. Part 3 provides tools for thinking through the practical challenges of planning and implementing prevention initiatives to include and engage immigrant and refugee communities.Multicultural Centre for Women's Health acknowledges and pays respect to the Wurrundjeri people of the Kulin nation, on whose land this guide was written. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are leaders and experts in working to prevent the disproportionate levels of violence enacted against them, their children and their families. The guide draws on and celebrates that intersectional theory has largely emerged from black and indigenous feminist activism and expertise in the United States and around the world, including Australia. It also complements the work of many other migrant women's organisations and networks that have been working for decades to prevent violence against immigrant and refugee women across Australia.