The Sutherland Shire Domestic Violence Committee (SSDVC) recently hosted a Dowry Abuse Workshop with the support of Sutherland Shire Council and Tradies Gymea. The Chair of the SSDVC, Belinda Harrison, who also is the Manager of the SSWDVCAS from The Family Co. invited Nelly Sinha, Multicultural Community Liaison Officer from Bankstown Police Area Command to discuss the Dowry Abuse Project with local service providers as more recently the committee has identified a need for further information about responding to marginalised women experiencing dowry abuse as a form of domestic and family violence. Nelly along with her colleagues have contributed to two short films that highlight when Dowry, a marriage ritual in many cultures is used as a form of domestic violence. The films were used as a tool to increase awareness and gain understanding of Dowry being used as to control women and the barriers that face women leaving abusive relationships where Dowry is involved.

The Dowry Abuse Project endorsed in 2021 by the previous NSW Commissioner of Police and is now an internal and external resource for police officers and service providers as well as the broader community. The Dowry Abuse Project awarded as the finalists for The Rotary Clubs NSW Police Officer of the Year Awards 2021 in the Irene Juergens APM Fellow Award (unsworn officer category).  More recently the Project has been nominated as finalists in the Australasian Council of Women and Policing Awards.

The event was well attended by local professionals from support services, including Local and State Governments and non-government organisations, as well as the SSDVC members who are committed to raising awareness about the impacts of domestic and family violence, as well as providing information on local services for victims of domestic and family violence. In addition to providing community awareness events about domestic violence locally, our objectives include identifying gaps and trends in supporting and strengthening the practice of service providers in responding to domestic family violence.

 

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