A program called Voices for Change: A media advocacy program for the prevention of violence against women was developed by Our Watch in partnership with Women’s Health East and VicHealth to ensure that women’s stories are shared in a safe, sensitive and responsible way.

Voices for Change also provides the survivors involved with media training.

These organisations have trained survivor advocates:

• Women’s Health East (Melbourne)
• Domestic Violence NSW (Sydney)
• Engender Equality (Hobart)
• Brisbane Domestic Violence Service (Brisbane)
• Ruah Community Services (Perth)
• Embolden (Adelaide)
• YWCA and Domestic Violence Crisis Service (Canberra)

If you wish to run your own survivor advocacy program, download the Voices for Change Implementation Guide. You can also contact Our Watch to receive Voices for Change training materials.

Organisations thinking of delivering the Voices for Change program must have a deep understanding of violence against women and its impacts on women, children, families and communities and have capacity to provide:

• risk assessment and management
• support and counselling
• preparation and ongoing support to advocates
• debriefing for advocates
• liaison between the media and advocates.

Watch the video below for more on working with the media to help prevent violence against women.

If you’re a journalist, you can find out about working with survivors as sources here.