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MEDIA RELEASE

13 August 2025

BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS WEEK

BRAIN INJURY COMMON IN VICTIM-SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

As we approach Brain Injury Awareness Week from 18 August, it’s critical to raise awareness on this less talked about cohort suffering brain injuries, usually inflicted by a loved one.

Brain Injury (BI) among survivors of family violence is common and requires urgent attention and care. BI results from injuries inflicted to the head and neck and can lead to chronic symptoms and high morbidity.[1]

Engender Equality CEO, Alina Thomas said,

“Assault by choking and non-fatal strangulation, shaking, being pushed into a wall or to the ground where they bang their head, are common causes.

“Our Primary Care Family and Domestic Violence program is focused on improving screening mechanisms for GPs to assist with their forensic medical examination, giving faster turnaround to care and adequate documentation to deliver justice for the victim,” she said.

In recent years, awareness of brain injury in sport, public assaults, and workplace accidents has grown. Campaigns have focused on recognising concussion, preventing harm, and supporting recovery.

However, brain injury has been overlooked when it happens through family or sexual violence. Engender Equality is advocating that brain injuries resulting from family violence need urgent attention; to support victim-survivors’ health and to improve justice outcomes.

Dr Christine Padgett, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Tasmania is collaborating with Engender Equality as she researches brain injury caused by intimate partner violence. One of her current projects explores the nature of long-term recovery after brain injury caused by intimate partner violence.

“Brain injuries are often sustained over years and can lead to lasting physical, behavioural, psychological, and cognitive consequences for victim-survivors.

Victim-survivors may not even realise the types of injuries they are sustaining – things like choking for example, can lead to brain injuries. This means they might put symptoms down to stress or not consider them severe enough to warrant attention, when they should be seeking medical advice” Dr Padgett said.

Symptoms like confusion, headache, memory gaps, dizziness, or vision changes, may be an indication of brain injury and victim-survivors should immediately tell their GP or emergency staff exactly how the injury happened.

General Practitioners are encouraged to routinely ask about head trauma and strangulation when working with victim-survivors, record clear details of the injury, order appropriate assessments, refer to brain injury specialists where needed, adapt care for any cognitive impacts, and ensure safety by linking patients with family and sexual violence support services.

Recognising and responding early can prevent further harm, improve recovery, and strengthen a victim-survivor’s access to justice.

Engender Equality is a not-for-profit agency working with and on behalf of individuals, families and communities affected by family and domestic violence in Tasmania.

More information including how General Practices and Aboriginal Health Services can connect with the service is available at 03 6268 1663, admin@pcfsv.org.au or www.engenderequality.org.au/pcfsv.

This Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence support initiative is supported by funding from Primary Health Tasmania (Tasmania PHN) through the Australian Government’s Primary Health Networks Program.

[1] Zieman, G., Bridwell, A. & Cardenas, J. F. (2017). Traumatic Brain Injury in Domestic Violence Victims: A Retrospective Study at the Barrow Neurological Institute. Journal of neurotrauma, 34(4), 876-880.

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Media Contact: Alina Thomas             0438 788 291

MEDIA RELEASE

16 July 2025

DOCTORS THE KEY TO EARLY INTERVENTION FOR ABUSE OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITY

As the community celebrates people with disability this month, Engender Equality and partners are launching a primary care support program for general practitioners and their staff to identify and respond to family and sexual violence (FSV).

Engender Equality CEO, Alina Thomas said,

“On average, at least 28.1% of women who enter a Tasmanian General Practice, every day, will be victim-survivors of Family and Sexual Violence (FSV).

“Studies have also shown that children with disabilities are between two and four times more likely to experience sexual abuse.

“Engender Equality has partnered with Laurel House and Sexual Assault Support Services to deliver the Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence (PCFSV) support program which aims to support doctors and their staff in identifying and responding to FSV.

“People with disability who also face communication challenges are at heightened risk of interpersonal violence.

“Communication requires that you look for, identify, and remove barriers and actively support people with appropriate devices, communication boards, and your undivided attention.

“While violence being identified by doctors offers the opportunity for early intervention, we must all be vigilant and prepared to respond if we become aware of or suspect anyone is at risk of family or sexual violence,” Ms Thomas said.

Engender Equality is a not-for-profit agency working with and on behalf of individuals, families and communities affected by family and domestic violence in Tasmania. We see gender inequality as both the cause and the context of family violence. Only by actively challenging gender-based oppression can we achieve positive and respectful relationships within healthy, inclusive structures and institutions.

For more information on the PCFSV support initiative email admin@pcfsv.org.au. For any other family and domestic violence matters contact Engender Equality at (03) 6278 9090, admin@engenderequality.org.au or visit our website at www.engenderequality.org.au.

This Primary Care Family and Sexual Violence support initiative is supported by funding from Primary Health Tasmania (Tasmania PHN) through the Australian Government’s Primary Health Networks Program.

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Media Contact: Alina Thomas             0438 788 291

MEDIA RELEASE

13 June 2025

WOMEN WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF FAMILY VIOLENCE AND INCARCERATION TO SPEARHEAD ADVOCACY

Family violence service, Engender Equality is inviting women with a lived experience of family violence and incarceration to join their lived experience Advocates for Change program and help drive systemic, community and social change.

Chief Executive Officer, Engender Equality, Alina Thomas said,

“Engender Equality prioritises the voices of victim-survivors in all activities related to the Advocates for Change program.

“Women who have experienced incarceration deserve the same support, respect, and opportunities as all women affected by family violence.”

“To reflect this, we are extending our existing Advocates for Change program to better support this part of our community.”

“The factors leading to women entering and returning to prison are deeply complex and often rooted in repeated and intergenerational experiences such as violence, homelessness, poverty and child removal.” she said.

“These issues are even more pronounced for First Nations women and girls, who remain disproportionately represented in the prison population.”

Advocates for Change is a volunteer program, where participants are trained and supported to share their lived experience and expertise to improve outcomes for all victim-survivors and ultimately end family and sexual violence. Opportunities include, public speaking, talking to the media, contributing to law amendment submissions and providing input into policy and activity design.

Women who have been incarcerated and survived violence bring valuable expertise about how the criminal justice, legal and support services systems operate, and often fail. They can see problems and injustices that others might overlook.

When victim-survivors speak up and take on roles to advocate for change, they directly influence the way laws, services and the justice system work. Their insights can push for fairer, trauma-informed responses for people who have been harmed.

Lived-experience advocate and Coordinator of the Advocates for Change Program, Sneha Sapkota explains, “At Engender Equality, we are passionate about supporting social change and advocating for the rights of women, mothers and victim-survivors. We believe that sharing our platform with victim-survivors leads to more just and effective outcomes for everyone.”

“Of course, the program prioritises the emotional and personal safety of all advocates. This includes assessing potential risks, their individual readiness, and offering professional counselling as well as ongoing peer support,” Ms Sapkota said.

The new intake includes a four-day training program designed to build understanding about the drivers of violence and current statistics. It provides practical skills such as engaging with the media, identifying and crafting effective messages, writing and delivering a speech, and using lived experiences to influence decision-makers.

Currently, the Advocates for Change team includes more than thirty diverse victim-survivors from across Tasmania. Together, they have meaningfully contributed to key initiatives, including feedback to Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Three essential elements of an effective Tasmanian Child Sexual Abuse Reform Strategy and Action Plan‘; influencing change to Tasmania’s strangulation laws which now identify it as a crime in itself; Participation in preparation of A statement from victim-survivors in the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032; and presentations to the Disability Royal Commission during its 2022 Tasmanian hearings.

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Media Contact: Alina Thomas 0438 788 291

For interviews or further photos please contact Alina