Summary

As a public health issue males die from suicide at 3 to 4 times the rate of females (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2021). It has long been established that there is a link between child sexual abuse (CSA) and later suicidality amongst survivors. For survivors of CSA, the rate of suicidality is twice that of baseline populations. The extent of the suicide risk is further extenuated for male survivors of \ CSA where they are ten times more at risk then general populations to suicidal ideation and attempts. The need for specialist prevention and support services for male survivors who are suicidal is significant. It is important to note that male survivors of CSA are a sizable subpopulation with estimates that up to 1 in 6 males experience sexual abuse in childhood or adolescence. The seriousness and scale of deaths by suicide amongst male survivors cannot be understated and is a substantial public health problem. It is well known that suicidal ideation, attempts and self-harm adversely impact on social functioning, causing morbidity and have untold financial implications on the health and social service system and general productivity in the Australian community. This presentation will examine this issue in Australia and globally, how it links to intersectional issues such as gender-based violence, mental health, incarceration, and addictions. It will draw on both research from Australia on men and suicide as well as explore various prevention and intervention initiatives from organisations. Finally this presentation will make a number of recommendations on research, practice, and policy in how social work can lead change.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Child sexual abuse, gender-based violence, suicide, mental health, public health, men, boys, social work practice

Summary

As a public health issue males die from suicide at 3 to 4 times the rate of females (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2021). It has long been established that there is a link between child sexual abuse (CSA) and later suicidality amongst survivors. For survivors of CSA, the rate of suicidality is twice that of baseline populations. The extent of the suicide risk is further extenuated for male survivors of \ CSA where they are ten times more at risk then general populations to suicidal ideation and attempts. The need for specialist prevention and support services for male survivors who are suicidal is significant. It is important to note that male survivors of CSA are a sizable subpopulation with estimates that up to 1 in 6 males experience sexual abuse in childhood or adolescence. The seriousness and scale of deaths by suicide amongst male survivors cannot be understated and is a substantial public health problem. It is well known that suicidal ideation, attempts and self-harm adversely impact on social functioning, causing morbidity and have untold financial implications on the health and social service system and general productivity in the Australian community. This presentation will examine this issue in Australia and globally, how it links to intersectional issues such as gender-based violence, mental health, incarceration, and addictions. It will draw on both research from Australia on men and suicide as well as explore various prevention and intervention initiatives from organisations. Finally this presentation will make a number of recommendations on research, practice, and policy in how social work can lead change.

Keywords (separate with commas)

Child sexual abuse, gender-based violence, suicide, mental health, public health, men, boys, social work practice

Summary

Climate change exacerbates violence. Inaction, resistance, and some responses can have violent and unjust consequences for some groups. Climate violence is a framework developed and utilised jointly by the Disrupting Violence Beacon and Climate Action Beacons from Griffith University and RaouI Wallenberg Institute. The framework examines the intersections of climate change and gender-based violence (including coercive control), migration (forced and voluntary), human rights violations, technology use and development, justice, and questions of sovereignty. Less visible intersections can also be understood through the climate violence framework. For example, female environmental activists are silenced through threats and use of violence when defending the environment with First Nations women more likely to be impacted.This paper outlines the climate violence framework. The advantage of using the term climate violence over terms such as climate justice or climate change is that the term draws attention to the harm caused, rather than obscuring damage, and therefore responsibility. The gendered nature of climate violence needs to be framed within the wider context of mass violence against women and girls. Children are also disproportionately impacted by climate change and, therefore, need to be acknowledged as a separate group of victims of climate violence. Conceptualising the impacts of climate change as an act of violence allows for different responses to be formed. This recognises that inaction can accelerate violence but also acts in response to climate change both to resist and to mitigate can exacerbate or even start new forms of violence. The use of climate violence as a framework offers the opportunity to critically reframe climate change, disrupt patriarchal and siloed approaches to climate change and its socio-political impacts. This can shift notions of responsibility, offering opportunities for those causing violence to be held accountable on local, state and global levels.\ \ 

Keywords (separate with commas)

Climate Change, Gender-based Violence, Violence, Gender, Social Action, Human Rights, Technology, Inequality, Oppression