More grants available to prevent tech-based abuse of women

The Australian Government is calling for applications for innovative projects that aim to help stop technology-based abuse of women.
 
Up to $3.5 million will be allocated in Round 2 of the Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program, led by the eSafety Commissioner as part of the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-32.
 
Tech-based abuse – also referred to as technology-facilitated abuse and technology-facilitated gender-based violence – can include the use of technology to stalk, threaten, control or undermine women, or carry out other violent or coercive behaviours.
 
Under the program, non-government organisations can apply for grants of up to $400,000 to support the development of primary prevention projects that address the underlying drivers, attitudes and behaviours which lead some people to carry out tech-based abuse.
 
Round 2 of the program will also include a priority funding pool of up to $600,000 for projects that support First Nations communities. Across the board, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience disproportionately higher rates of violence than non-Indigenous women, including tech-based family and domestic violence.
 
The program aims to support initiatives and access to resources that increase public awareness of tech-based abuse, improve women’s and children’s safety, challenge attitudes and stereotypes that contribute to tech-based abuse and promote positive and respectful online behaviour and accountability in men and boys.
 
This round will build on the $3 million in grants awarded by eSafety through Round 1, which funded projects managed by The Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, Settlement Services International,  Deakin University Centre for Cyber Resilience and Trust, Gippsland Women’s Health, Monash University, and University of Melbourne.
 
This is the second round of the ten million dollar Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program, the Government funded in 2022.
 
Applications for Round 2 of the Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program, close on Monday 16 December 2024 at 5pm (AEDT). 
 
To view the guidelines, make an application or for more information, visit: eSafety.gov.au/safety-grants.
 
Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:

“The abuse of women and children – online or off – is simply unacceptable, and we are committed to supporting community organisations working to stamp this out. 
 
“This funding will help ensure more resources are available to help stop technology-based abuse of women by supporting the development of innovative projects to address its root causes. 
 
“The program forms part of our response to the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032, which highlighted the role technology plays in perpetuating a range of serious harms.”
 
Quotes attributable to Acting eSafety Commissioner Kathryn King
 
“Both simple and sophisticated technologies are being used by perpetrators to isolate, control and coerce women and their children, from flooding their mobiles with harassing texts to covertly tracking them via spyware on their children’s smart toys. 
 
“It’s a particularly potent form of violence because the vectors seem so innocuous and commonplace, and the harms are frequently downplayed due to the absence of physical scars.
 
“To end violence against women, we need more innovative prevention projects that build on the latest evidence and research.
 
“As we saw in the Round 1 of this program, there are some incredible projects happening right across Australia to disrupt and deter technology-driven violence.
 
“These primary prevention projects play a key role in our collective action to eliminate gender-based violence from our communities.”