Creating Conversations
Creating Conversations is an event series designed to bring people together with the understanding that domestic, family and sexualised violence is a shared social issue.
"We all have a role, we all have a part, whether we want to take it up consciously or not." | Centre for Response-Based Practice
Why ecosystem responses matter
People who are perpetrating violence and abuse rely on poor responses from society, services and systems to conceal or excuse their actions and to evade responsibility and consequences. They are more able to extend their use of abuse and control when information and communication about DFSV and support options are opaque, unclear or unsafe to access.
People subjected to violence and abuse rely on multiple parts of a complex information and support ecosystem for their safety and wellbeing.The more disparity there is between different parts of the ecosystem, the tougher and more compromising it is for victim-survivors to access information and to navigate support.
It may be the first, only or last time a victim-survivor of domestic, family and sexualised violence (DFSV) reaches out. Every response matters.
There is no one preference or path for support. Every responder, community and industry matters.
'Creating Conversations' 2024
In 2024 we are hosting three Creating Conversations sessions to create opportunities to participate in cross-sector conversations - listening and responding to domestic, family and sexualised violence. The conversations draw from Insight Exchange insights and resources. Each session invites you to consider how your work (and our collective efforts) respond to people who are silent about, or silenced by, violence and abuse.
- Parramatta Library (PHIVE) Western Sydney - May 2024
- State Library South Australia (Adelaide) - July 2024
- State Library NSW (Sydney - City) - Oct 2024
We want to maximise the opportunity for cross-sector conversations, which is why these invites are tailored to individuals across sectors (not teams).
'Creating Conversations' 2023
In 2023 Creating Conversations sessions provide opportunity to participate in cross-sector conversations responding to Insight Exchange ideas and resources. Each session invites you to consider how your work (and our collective efforts) respond to people who are silent about, or silenced by, violence and abuse.
May 2023 | In May 2023 the session involved 31 people working in Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Research, Service responses for men who use violence, Clubs, Forensic Medical, Support Service, Community Restorative Work, Australian Human Rights Commission, National Helpline, Arts, Research, Security, Corrective Services, Local Health District, Hotel Industry, Restorative Justice, University Teaching, & Police. Together we explored the resources: Talk, Fear, An Imperfect Letter and Follow My Lead (Workplace Sexual Harassment).
Oct 2023 | In October 2023 to build on these insights and conversations, together with new and returning guests we explored the resources above, as well as I am I can and new resources: Dad - your choice hurts me & Being Safety and an Introduction to economic abuse. The session involved 47 people working in Aboriginal Community Housing, Arts, Australian Human Rights Commission, Community Restorative Services, Corrective Services, Education, Men's Behaviour Change, Royal Agricultural Society, Security Industry, Women’s Health and Equality, Centre for Women's Economic Safety, Children's Services, Department of Communities and Justice, Gaming Industry, Helplines (National), Retail Industry, Workplaces, Hotel Industry, Insight Exchange, Police Services, University & Research, Support Services (NSW & QLD) & Clubs Industry.
'Creating Conversations' 2017 - 2018
In 2017 Insight Exchange hosted its first Creating Conversations session involving fifty guests from across different sectors to exchange insights about understanding of and responses to violence and abuse. The first three Creating Conversations sessions (2017-2018) featured guest speakers Dr Linda Coates and Dr Allan Coates from the Centre for Response Based Practice. These sessions were recorded and made digitally available in short videos supported by digital facilitator Gavin Blake. The videos are available on this page (see below) and hosted on the Insight Exchange Vimeo Channel.
Featuring Dr Linda Coates and Dr Allan Wade from the Centre for Response Based Practice, the series supports individuals, communities and organisations in the service system and wider ecosystem, to understand domestic and family violence and to reflect on how to respond in ways that uphold dignity and build on safety.
Creating Conversations events are designed to:
- Provide an opportunity for people and organisations that wouldn’t normally intersect or come together.
- Create the conditions for conversations that enable sharing and learning about each other’s challenges, contexts and contributions.
- Discover the possibilities for individual, organisational and collective responses and pathways for progress.