2023 requires grit, and where there’s grit there is a sprinkling of hope
Illawarra Mercury – Sally Stevenson AM It would be easy to start 2023 feeling pessimistic about the world, especially the future for women and girls. Let me count the ways. Firstly, this year we saw women’s and girls’ human rights continue to be crushed in Afghanistan. This month, the Taliban added a ban on women […]
‘This is why women pull out of the criminal justice system’: Sally Stevenson
Illawarra Mercury The decision to discontinue the case against an alleged rapist in a high-profile sexual assault matter is not uncommon, one Illawarra women’s advocate says. Quite the opposite, Sally Stevenson, the general manager of the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre believes. The ACT’s Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC announced the move on Friday […]
Business case shows Illawarra Women’s Health Centre needs $1.2 million
Illawarra Mercury – Natalie Croxon A new business case indicates the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre is providing $1.2 million worth of essential services on less than $600,000 of funding, as the organisation looks to establish a second site in the region’s northern suburbs. The Women’s Health NSW report delivered to Health Minister Brad Hazzard this […]
New legislation will allow victims of domestic violence to access 10 days paid leave
Illawarra Mercury – Louise Negline with AAP The Albanese government will introduce legislation to parliament on Thursday that will put in place 10 days of paid leave for people affected by domestic violence. It is expected more than 11 million workers, including casual workers, will have access to the leave. Illawarra Women’s Health Centre general […]
Does unpaid work count in NSW budget?
Illawarra Mercury – Sally Stevenson AM The 2022-23 NSW Budget will be handed down on June 21. Will it be a good budget for women? What does a good budget for women mean? Broadly, national and state budgets are developed (and governments are judged on) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or Gross Domestic State Product (GDSP) […]
Young women want a voice in consent education
Illawarra Mercury – Georgie Igoe Australia, we need to listen; to the yes and the no of what young women want. The opening line of a video posted on the eve of International Women’s Day 2022 reverberates powerfully, “Australia, we need to talk…” This is the voice of Grace Tame who is an unwavering force in her commitment to […]
Why mothers in crisis need compassionate support
Illawarra Mercury – Rachael Humphris You don’t need to have children for your stomach to drop at the thought of a baby being taken away from their mother. If a state child protection agency deems a child to be at ‘risk of significant harm’, they can remove them from the care of their mum, even if the […]
Why it’s time we listened to young people
Illawarra Mercury – Georgie Igoe The staggering exposure of sexual violence in the media, parliament and across our community is leaving many of us examining our own wounds of violence and wondering what we can do about this harm on such an endemic level. The young women that I work with in group and individual […]
Illawarra women’s advocate Sally Stevenson says Grace Tame’s Australia of the Year an award for all victims
Illawarra Mercury – Julian O’Brien Change is coming. That is the message from Illawarra Women’s Health Centre general manager Sally Stevenson on the back of Tasmanian sexual assault survivor Grace Tame being named Australian of the Year. Ms Tame was the catalyst for the #LetHerSpeak campaign and won a Supreme Court order which overturned archaic […]
Female invisibility – a challenge for 2021
Illawarra Mercury – Sally Stevenson AM Following a NSW Health directive last Tuesday I, like hundreds of others, lined up to be tested for COVID-19. As I waited in line for over six hours, I had time to consider the past year and my good fortune – a loving family, wonderful friends, a purposeful job, […]
