Decision Maker: Council
Decision status: Recommendations Determined
Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by
Councillor Scully -
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
all
women deserve the liberty to live a life free of violence;
(ii)
however,
one in six Australian women have been subjected, since the age of 15, to
physical and/or sexual violence by a cohabiting partner;
(iii)
violence
against women has profound impacts upon communities, employment, housing,
mental health and their children;
(iv)
multiple
forms of discrimination intersect so that inequality exists between women, such
that:
(a)
women
with disabilities are two times more likely to experience domestic violence;
and
(b)
Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander women had 29 times the rate of hospitalization for
family violence;
(v)
local
governments are uniquely situated to influence and drive social change to
reduce violence against women through existing partnerships, networks and
structures;
(vi)
the City was one of the first Australian
organisations to receive the White Ribbon workplace accreditation;
(vii)
the City provides 10 days’ paid family and
domestic violence leave per annum to staff who experience domestic or family
violence and supplies information for staff experiencing domestic violence and
education for bystanders;
(viii)
learning
and development modules are available, but not mandatory, to raise staff
awareness including modules on Understanding Domestic Violence, Impacts on the
Workplace, and Responding to Domestic Violence in the Workplace;
(ix)
the City’s Community Safety Action Plan
2018-2023 outlines priorities in ending domestic and family violence and sexual
assault;
(x)
this
includes the quarterly Inner City Domestic and Family Violence Forum,
supporting Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre to deliver a forum,
publishing information resources on its website and supporting the NSW Domestic
Violence Collective’s ‘Let’s end domestic violence’ vigil;
(xi)
the
City of Sydney should continue to increase its efforts to interact with a
diverse range of voices and existing programs and community groups to
materialize and measure the elimination of domestic violence;
(xii)
the
City of Sydney should further develop actions and activities that align with
the recommendations outlined in the Our Watch Toolkit for preventing domestic
violence at a local government level;
(xiii)
Our
Watch highlights that education, community, workplace, sporting, arts, library
and media setting are effective places of engagement and education services;
and
(xiv)
the
City of Sydney could implement criteria into its procurement chains to hold
suppliers to a standard that promotes the elimination of violence within their
institution; and
(B)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
consider
the integration of Our Watch Local Government Toolkit into City policies and
training;
(ii)
continue
to work in partnership with domestic and family violence services, prevention
agencies, specialist community organisations and other community services; and
(iii)
report
back to Council via the CEO Update on additions to City policies and/or
training.
Carried
unanimously.
X086655
Report author: Erin Cashman
Publication date: 22/08/2022
Date of decision: 22/08/2022
Decided at meeting: 22/08/2022 - Council
Accompanying Documents: