5 practical ways you can empower women every day

Sexual abuse against women in Hollywood is a bit topic at the moment. Women are feeling empowered to come out and talk about their experiences which is great!  Here are some practical ways to further empower the fabulous women around you.

Request a fEMPOWER workshop for your school

Founded by Sydney University students, fEMPOWER is run by volunteers who travel to high schools. Their aim is to educate young people on a bunch of feminist issues like sexual harassment and domestic violence.

Learning about feminism isn’t an activity just for women.  A third of Australian women have experienced violence at the hands of a man, feminism is something guys urgently need to understand.

Educate yourself

Dark back streets are seen as the most dangerous place for women, however statistically they’re in greater danger at home. An average of one Australian woman is killed every week by a current or former partner.

It’s important to know the signs of an abusive relationship so you can identify if you or someone you know is developing abusive behaviours towards women, which include much more than just physical violence. Organisations such as The Line, Mens Line, and White Ribbon offer support and advice to steer you out of these dangerous patterns.

Take a walk in someone else’s shoes by reading real life stories

If you’ve never experienced gendered violence, you’re lucky, but it may be hard for you to understand the issue. Reading other people’s stories brings home how violence can happen to anyone. Today Western Sydney MP Emma Husar opened up about her experiences of domestic violence as a child and how they still affect her now.

Talk to a woman/girl about domestic violence

Unfortunately, you might not have to look very far for a real life domestic violence story. A third of the women you interact with on a daily basis will have experienced violence by a man.

One of these women might be your mother, daughter or girlfriend, so give them the opportunity to discuss this topic with you.

It’s doesn’t matter what gender is, violence against women is everybody’s issue. The more people who talk about it, the better.