The Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee Domestic violence and gender inequality November 2016 © Commonwealth of Australia 2016 ISBN 978-1-76010-479-5 Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee Secretariat: Ms Lyn Beverley (Secretary) Ms Ann Palmer (Principal Research Officer) Ms Brigid Simpson (Senior Research Officer) Ms Margaret Cahill (Research Officer) Ms Sarah Brasser (Administrative Officer) The Senate PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Ph: 02 6277 3530 Fax: 02 6277 5809 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.aph.gov.au/senate_fpa Printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House, Canberra. ii Membership of the Committee Members Senator Jenny McAllister (Chair) ALP, NSW Senator James Paterson (Deputy Chair) LP, VIC Senator the Hon Don Farrell ALP, SA Senator Bridget McKenzie NAT, VIC Senator Lee Rhiannon AG, NSW Senator Murray Watt (from 15.9.2016 – 2.12.2016) ALP, QLD 44th Parliament Former Committee Members Senator Cory Bernardi (Deputy Chair) LP, SA Senator Nova Peris OAM (from 12.11.2015 – 9.5.2016) ALP, NT Senator Joanna Lindgren (from 23.2.2016 – 9.5.2016) LP, QLD Senator the Hon Joseph Ludwig (from 1.7.2014 – 9.5.2016) ALP, QLD Senator Dean Smith (from 13.11.2013 – 23.2.2016) LP, WA Senator Janet Rice (from 7.7.2014 – 9.5.2016) AG, VIC Senator Claire Moore (from 12.2.2015 – 12.11.2015) ALP, QLD Participating Senators Senator Larissa Waters AG, NSW Senator Claire Moore ALP, QLD Substitute Member for 44th Parliament Senator Larissa Waters (Substituting for Senator Janet Rice from AG, NSW 26.11.2015 – 9.5.2016) iii Table of contents Membership of the Committee ........................................................................ iii Chapter 1.............................................................................................................. 1 Referral ................................................................................................................... 1 Previous committee inquiry .................................................................................... 1 Conduct of the inquiry ............................................................................................ 2 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................ 2 Chapter 2.............................................................................................................. 3 Gender inequality and domestic violence ............................................................... 3 National initiatives ................................................................................................ 15 Chapter 3............................................................................................................ 19 Gender stereotypes, government initiatives, and other related matters ........... 19 Education .............................................................................................................. 19 Higher education .................................................................................................. 21 Employment ......................................................................................................... 22 Entertainment ....................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 4............................................................................................................ 33 Committee view....................................................................................................... 33 Government Senators' additional comments ................................................. 35 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 35 Education .............................................................................................................. 35 Current national initiatives ................................................................................... 37 Employment ......................................................................................................... 40 Appendix 1 ......................................................................................................... 47 Submissions received by the committee ............................................................... 47 Appendix 2 ......................................................................................................... 51 Findings of the 2013 NCAS on attitudes towards violence against women ...... 51 Chapter 1 Referral 1.1 On 25 November 2015 the Senate referred the following matters to the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee (the committee) for inquiry and report by 24 August 2016: (a) the role of gender inequality in all spheres of life in contributing to the prevalence of domestic violence; (b) the role of gender stereotypes in contributing to cultural conditions which support domestic violence, including, but not limited to, messages conveyed to children and young people in: (i) the marketing of toys and other products, (ii) education, and (iii) entertainment; (c) the role of government initiatives at every level in addressing the underlying causes of domestic violence, including the commitments under, or related to, the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children; and (d) any other related matters.1 1.2 The inquiry was not completed when the Senate and the House of Representatives were dissolved on 9 May 2016 for a general election on 2 July 2016. When Parliament resumed, the committee recommended to the Senate that the inquiry be re-referred in the 45th Parliament with a reporting date of 24 November 2016. This recommendation was agreed by the Senate.2 The committee has decided to report early. Previous committee inquiry 1.3 During the 44th Parliament, from June 2014, the committee undertook a comprehensive inquiry into domestic violence, reporting on 20 August 2015. The committee does not intend to replicate that inquiry but to focus on the issue of gender inequality as per the terms of reference. The committee's previous report is available 3 from the committee website. 1 Journals of the Senate, No. 129—25 November 2015, pp 3477-3478. 2 Journals of the Senate, No.7—15 September 2016, p. 225. 3 See Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee, Domestic Violence in Australia, August 2015, available at http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Finance_and_Public_Admi nistration/Domestic_Violence. 2 Conduct of the inquiry 1.4 The committee advertised the inquiry on its website. In addition, the committee invited submissions from individuals, organisations and government departments by 31 March 2016, although the committee accepted submissions after this date. 1.5 The committee received 76 public submissions. A list of individuals and organisations which made public submissions, together with other information authorised for publication by the committee, is at Appendix 1. 1.6 Submissions may be accessed through the committee website at: www.aph.gov.au/senate_fpa. Acknowledgements 1.7 The committee thanks those individuals and organisations who made submissions. Chapter 2 Gender inequality and domestic violence 2.1 This committee has previously inquired into domestic violence in Australia. In that report the committee noted that there is a complex range of social and personal factors that can contribute to the incidence and severity of domestic violence. As part of that report, the committee discussed the gendered nature of domestic violence.1 2.2 The terms of reference for this present inquiry focus on specific aspects of that discussion. This committee has been asked in particular to inquire into and report on: (a) the role of gender inequality in all spheres of life in contributing to the prevalence of domestic violence; 2.3 This chapter summarises the evidence received that was responsive to this first part of the terms of reference. 2.4 Our Watch explained the term gender inequality: Gender inequality is a social condition characterised by unequal value afforded to men and women and an unequal distribution of power, resources and opportunity between them. It often results from, or has historical roots in, laws or policies formally constraining the rights and opportunities of women, and is maintained and perpetuated today through structures that continue to organise and reinforce an unequal distribution of economic, social and political power and resources between women and men. Gender inequality is [also] reinforced and maintained through more informal mechanisms, many of which are strongly characterized by their reliance on gender stereotypes. These include, for example, social norms such as the belief that women are best suited to care for children, practices such as differences in childrearing practices for boys and girls, and structures such as pay differences between men and women.2 2.5 The South Australian Premier's Council for Women expanded further on the consequences of gender inequality in society: Social norms and gendered expectations shape the roles of men and women, defining what is considered appropriate behaviours for each sex. In many societies, women are viewed as subordinate to men and have a lower social status, allowing men control over, and greater decision-making power than, women. These differences in gender roles create inequalities and unless 1 Senate Finance and Public Administration