Abstract:

The Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group (TWFSG) was re-established in 2014 after 20 years without funding.  A need was identified by Aboriginal Town Camp Leaders for an organised voice and action on domestic, family and sexual violence (DF&SV). The TWFSG’s grass-roots program is developed, implemented and delivered by Aboriginal Town Camp women and works in the area of DF&SV primary prevention through advocacy, training and resource development. 

The Leaders of the TWFSG are a governance group for the rest of the programs in the Tangentyere Family Violence Prevention Program (TFVPP). This ensures a gendered lens and the cultural safety and integrity of all of the TFVPP’s development, delivery and direction. The TWFSG Leaders;

• Are the experts of Town Camp history, relationships, knowledge and experience and best and worst practice.

• Are the influencers in their community and the broader Alice Springs community in the area of family safety.

• Have lived experience of DF&SV in Town Camps and therefore have knowledge to share.

• Are invested in finding long term systemic solutions to the issue of DF&SV because it is their family’s future.

• Are committed to the program because this is their home, their country, their family, their future.

This presentation will display some of the hard work of the TWFSG over the past 5 years and argue for the importance of listening, supporting and amplifying the voices of Aboriginal Women in the area of DF&SV primary prevention. 

Biographies

Shirleen, are Kitana are members of the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group. 

Shirleen and Carmel are TWFSG’s Co-coordinators.

The TWFSG women are in Canberra as Visiting Indigenous Fellows at CAEPR to support PhD student Chay Brown, who is giving her pre-submission seminar this week.