Feminist author Dr Anne Summers.

Civil Society

Abuse Or Poverty: Brisbane Conference To Confront The Choice Many Women Face

By New Matilda

May 11, 2023

A national domestic and family violence conference to be staged in Brisbane tomorrow will focus on the choice that many women in Australia still face: stay in an abusive relationship, or leave and live below the poverty line by relying on government benefits.

The Listen Connect Reflect conference will draw heavily on the ‘Choice: Violence or Poverty’ report by Dr Anne Summers, a renowned Australian feminist and writer.

The report was used by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier this week as the basis for raising the single parenting allowance in May federal budget.

Dr Summers, Professor of Domestic & Family Violence, at the University of Technology Sydney, will speak on the choice between violence and poverty faced by survivors of abuse.

Conference organisers said ‘Listen Connect Reflect’ was an opportunity to “dive into the national framework, raise the voices of Lived Experience and strengthen collaboration with the vision to end violence against women and girls in our communities”.

You can download and read Dr Summers’ report Choice: Violence or Poverty report by clicking here, or get more details on the conference by clicking here.