text: We here in Brisbane were lucky to have the WOW in town on the week-end. I wanted to get along to it especially to see and take some little ones in the feminism for under 10’s. This was a week-end of empowerment. not male bashing.
  My daughter was a volunteer at the event and had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful strong women. Some she knew of and was impressed to meet them and find out what makes them tick. Others that she had not heard of or met but was knocked off her socks by them.
  But the big thing for her was the feeling of unity at the event. She was excited with the little girls who went to the feminism for under 10’s and then when they told her what they were going to do for the rest of the day. Watching the Trapeze artists and wanting to join in, listening to the string quartet, looking at the views over Brisbane from up high.
  For her it was great, I as her mum was so happy that she volunteered and enjoyed it. She needed a bit more empowering and the words of strong women to inspire her and relight the fire inside her. She had a rough trot at ACPA. But is back at study, doing feminist studies. This is part of her path, a way for her to be able to then in the future help others.
  She comes from a house of majority female. Only one brother and a very absent father. But Women are to be respected, and to acknowledge their strengths. She has grown up in a house where “girl” is not an insult. Where all the girls have played football, touch, basketball, athletics and martial arts. Anything a boy can do a girl can do too.
  As my perspective of it was that WOW needs to be done here in Brisbane again, and the mainstream media need to get on board and promote it.
  On the same week-end, the Netball grand final was one (We won), But where has the coverage of the netball been all season? The Matilda’s won an important match. Who cares? The mainstream media don’t care but we do, not just as a Soccer family, but as supporting an Australian Team and a Female team. These women don’t get paid the big money of the Socceroos But play just as hard, actually they play harder and better.
  So female empowerment, feminism, of finding strength in yourself and pride in your sex. Whatever you want to call it, is important and we need to make sure our daughters grow up believing in themselves. Knowing they are strong and knowing that they have the rights of men and have equality.
  Today is the day where we look at society and how we treat our aged. Elder Abuse is on the increase they tell us. But when we break down the violence and abuse and give it different names are we confusing and skewering the numbers.
  Elder Abuse is a form of Domestic Abuse. Child Abuse is a form of Domestic Abuse. Abuse between a couple is still Domestic Abuse.
  So instead of calling them all by different names lets just look at them as the one abuse and then break it down. Violence, emotional abuse and blackmail stand over tactics. Selling a home out from under your parents or your siblings or your spouse. It’s all the same. Too many people suffer from abuse of one form or the other. What do we do about it?
  Rose Batty is an incredible woman who talks of the issues and the problems, and let’s be honest there are a lot of issues and problems. Let me give you the example of there are not enough safe houses in Queensland for the demand of those who need protection. Domestic Violence organisations are spread thin on the ground and cannot cover everywhere. Where I live we have no local DV organisation, women have to go about 30 minutes to meet up with someone. This leads to the problem of them not always having bus fare or petrol money. Now if that is just that area, what is happening with our elderly? who is speaking for them? What is happening to them that is unheard of or ignored.
  This brings me back to my original argument that all abuse should be seen as just abuse and we need the services out there to help those in trouble.
  Paolo Carozza, associate dean for international and graduate programs at Notre Dame Law School (NDLS), has been appointed the new director of the Law School’s Center for Civil and Human Rights (CCHR).
  The CCHR, established nearly 40 years ago by Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., Notre Dame’s president emeritus, has over the years acquired a strong reputation as one of the premier programs for educating human rights lawyers from all parts of the world.
  In announcing Carozza’s appointment, Dean Nell Newton noted that, “The Provost and I are committed to strengthening and expanding the Center for Civil and Human Rights, and to making it an even more prominent center for teaching and research on global justice. With the aim of realizing the vision that he had when he first created the CCHR, Father Hesburgh is also committed to help in any way that he can. We are looking forward to working with Paolo to help him secure the resources necessary to lead the CCHR to that goal.”
  An internationally recognized scholar in the areas of comparative law, human rights and international law, Carozza also was a member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights from 2006 to 2010, and he served as its president in 2008-09.
  At NDLS, Carozza founded and directs the Law School’s innovative and interdisciplinary Program on Law and Human Development, which will be joined to the CCHR as part of its broadened scope.
  “The Center and its work embody values at the heart of the University’s mission,” Carozza remarked. “We have an opportunity and a responsibility to make Notre Dame an even more vital community of knowledge and learning on human dignity, justice and the common good throughout the world. I am honored and excited to be entrusted with that ambitious vision, which builds on the successes of my predecessors.”
  Professor Douglass Cassel, who led the CCHR from 2005 to 2011, will continue to contribute actively to the work of the center as a member of the law school’s core international law faculty.