Last month, Our Watch released the second edition of their national evidence-based framework Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women in Australia. To celebrate this milestone, Our Watch also shared a new video, which asks experts in the prevention of violence against women about how they have used Change the story in their own work, and a summary of the key information in the framework. These works join the suite of resources developed by Our Watch to improve how violence against women.
The Change the story framework provides a set of clear actions that are needed to guide a coordinated and effective national approach to address the many drivers of violence, and prevent violence against women in Australia. It goes beyond a focus on individual behaviours to consider the broader social, political, and economic factors that drive violence against women, and the social context of gender inequality in which this violence arises.
Importantly, it outlines the essential actions needed at all levels of society – from individuals to schools, from workplaces to governments – to address these underlying drivers and stop this violence before it starts.
With the first edition of Change the story, Australia began developing the foundations for a world-leading approach to primary prevention. This second edition provides an updated, expanded, evidence-based framework for Australia to continue and strengthen this shared national approach.
Action is needed from all levels of government and from non-government organisations, the private sector, civil society and communities. Change the story can help drive, guide and support this collective prevention effort.