Our Watch, the national organisation for the prevention of violence against women, has announced the creation of a new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander directorate.
Chief Executive Patty Kinnersly said it recognises the importance of the work needed to tackle the disproportionately high rates of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 11 times more likely to die due to assault than non-Indigenous women, and experience violence at 3.1 times the rate of non-Indigenous women.
"These higher rates of violence are driven by the combined impact of racism, colonisation and gender inequality. For too long, systems and structures have shut Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities out, and it's crucial these voices are centred.
"This NAIDOC Week, Our Watch reaffirms our commitment to ending this national shame.
"We are pleased to announce that Regan Mitchell, a proud Wiradjuri-Ngunnawal woman and experienced leader in the domestic violence sector has been appointed to the role of Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy. Regan will provide strategic leadership to the organisation and will lead a team who bring deep cultural knowledge and expertise to this vital work.
"As a non-Aboriginal organisation, we are grateful for the leadership and cultural knowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people bring to the organisation. Over decades, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been leading the work to reduce violence, and we are committed to listening, learning and walking alongside them."
Ms Mitchell said, "Community-driven solutions that are properly resourced and built on the expertise of Blak women and communities are the only way we will move forward."
"It's way past time we prioritised all women and children's safety."
Ms Kinnersly said the creation of the directorate aimed to ensure our commitment to preventing violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and families was embedded throughout our organisation and in all the work we do.
"Our Watch has also recently signed off on a Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan – a high impact commitment Reconciliation Australia describes as suited to organisations that demonstrate strong, meaningful engagement with internal and external Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders.
"As a way of maintaining accountability to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the work we do Our Watch report annually on the actions towards reconciliation and preventing violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
"We acknowledge the issue of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women remains a crisis, and it's up to all of us – individuals, communities, organisations, governments– to be part of driving the nation-wide change needed to turn it around."
About us:
Our Watch is the national leader in Australia's work to stop violence against women and their children before it starts. The organisation was created to drive nation-wide change in the practices, norms and structures that lead to violence against women and children.
