Media Release | 30 November 2023
Improving women and girls online safety in rural and regional Victoria
Today, the e-safety Commissioner announced Gippsland Women’s Health as one of only 7 organisations across Australia to be a successful recipient of the e-safety Commissioner grant program – Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women.
“Improving the safety of Australian women and children through the prevention of technology-facilitated gender-based violence is a national priority.” said the Minister for Communications, the Hon. Michelle Rowland MP
“Led by eSafety, the Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program will help to ensure more Australian women and children have access to critical resources and services including proactive and preventative tools to help stop this abuse at the outset.” said Minister Rowland
Gippsland Women’s Health is extremely proud to be a successful recipient for this grant program with our aim of engaging with rural and regional women across Victoria to co-design violence prevention training modules and digital self-defense resources to address the drivers of tech-based abuse and improve women’s safety.
eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant said “The projects demonstrated innovative approaches to support safe, gender-equal online spaces for women and their children”.
“These initiatives leverage the unique expertise of our successful applicants to address tech-based abuse from a number of angles, complementing eSafety’s broader prevention efforts”. said Commissioner Inman Grant.
Gippsland Women’s Health will partner with 5 regional and rural Women’s Health services across Victoria to deliver the project: Women’s Health in the South East, Women’s Health Grampians, Women’s Health Loddon Malley, Women’s Health Barwon South West, Women’s Health Goulburn North East.
CEO, of Gippsland Women’s Health Kate Graham, said “The most significant benefit of this project is the scale and positive collective impact it can have for up to 1.6 million people in regional, rural and remote Victoria – almost 23% of all Victorians!
“The investment by the Australian Government in women and girls’ online safety, particularly for those living in rural and regional areas is to be commended. We extend our appreciation to the Federal Minister for Communications, the Hon. Michelle Rowland MP, and the e-safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant and her team for their commitment to this work and for their recognition of the important role and contribution Women’s Health Services can make in ensuring a safer online space for women and girls” said Kate Graham.
This project was funded through the eSafety Commissioner’s Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program – an Australian Government initiative.
For media enquiries please contact Acting Marketing and Communications Manager Elissa Duck: elissa.duck@gwhealth.asn.au
Phone: 0434 407 477
