Who are we……..
FLAT OUT – Flat Out is a state-wide advocacy and support service for women, trans and gender diverse people and their children who have been criminalised. We are an independent, not for profit, community-based organisation that aims to prevent women and trans and gender-diverse people from entering and returning to prison.
FAMILY VIOLENCE JUSTICE PROJECT (FVJP) – The Family Violence Justice Project was piloted at Flat Out in 2019 in response to the findings of the Royal Commission into Family Violence which identified that criminalised women experience high rates of family violence yet have very poor engagement with the service system. Family Safety Victoria funded Flat Out to undertake this project due to our already trusted relationships with criminalised women and understandings of the systemic barriers criminalised folks face when seeking support. The project was funded across the following domains- Professional Education, Community Development, Relationships and Partnerships, Policy and Advocacy, Data and Evaluation.
This is the only project dedicated to building capacity and offering best practice leadership to address the barriers and harms faced by criminalised women and gender diverse people experiencing family violence in Victoria, directed and lead by the expertise of the lived experience collective FIGJAM, making it a lynchpin of equity and access in the sector.
FIGJAM – Formerly Incarcerated Justice Advocates Melbourne” AKA ‘Fuck I Am Good Just Ask Me’ is a collective of lived experience women who have survived violence in the community but also at the hands of the state namely Prisons and Police. FIGJAM was founded by FVJP Co-Ordinator Nina in the hope and dream to build a community of staunch advocates, that provides connection and support and stability to its members. FIGJAM use their voices and experiences to change community attitudes and push through barriers of stigma and discrimination. They are invited regularly to consult, sit on focus groups, present at conferences, engage with and attend community events, influence policy reform, write submissions and participate in creative arts, podcasts, and research.
These women are the change makers, smashing stigma and have the solutions we are all trying to find.
We dream of a world where we can all be accountable to one another to address harm and abolish punitive punishment to violence. We cannot fix violence with violence – Prisons and Police are violent. If we do nothing, women will continued to be misidentified and blamed for systemic failures, thrown into prisons and have their babies removed.
PRESENTATION-
• Overview of the work of Flat Out, The Family Violence Justice Project and FIJGAM collective.
• The importance and ways we embed lived expertise across the organisation
• Deeper dive into FIGJAM the advocacy they are doing, including Podcast and Campaigning.
• Individuals stories of the importance and value of lived experience.
• Presentation will cover the below areas.
Collateral Consequences
The harms associated with not employing people because of their criminal record. Discriminatory Practices of not including Criminalised folks in LE collective.
FIGJAM members are professionals and experts, are employed across AOD, Mental Health, Youth Support, Forensic Care, Mentorship for Women debunking the myth.
Community Responses
Leaning on the expertise of the people who have lived it in all aspects, providing community support and shared knowledge and learnings to community, through training, advocacy, presentations, and research.
Having and creating a place of belonging, connection and support. To share information, events and resources.
Minimising and eliminating shame and discrimination.
Researchers as Allies
Creating a place of belonging not only provides a space of connection for the members of the group but also gives researchers, academics, and policy reformist a place to connect and obtain the expertise of criminalised lived experience folks to support their work in a meaningful and authentic way.
System Barriers and System Change
We reduce systemic barriers and create systemic change through advocacy, presentations, and community engagement. We can provide a short description of the ‘resisting systemic collusion’ training provided by the FVJP and share resources providing the power and control wheel and the tip sheet on how to best support FV survivors who have been criminalised.
Campaigning for Change
FLAT OUT, FVJP & FIGJAM hope to have kicked off a new campaign to abolish state sanctioned sexual abuse.
FIGJAM also are aiming to have their podcast completed.
