Women's Health in the South East

19/08/2026

We thank Women with Disabilities Victoria & Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) for their strong advocacy and leadership at a deeply concerning time for many women, girls and gender-diverse people with disability.

Policy decisions need to be informed by the lived experiences of those most affected. The voices of women with disability must be listened to, respected and acted on, in decisions that shape their lives.

The burden of unpaid care continues to fall disproportionately on women, and this burden is compounded for women facing intersecting barriers, including disability, discrimination and socioeconomic disadvantage. To what extent are we prepared to live in a society that again and again, tries to save money on the backs of women’s unpaid care work? Any policy response that shifts responsibility and costs onto women and families risks reinforcing the very inequalities we should be working to address.

We support WWDA, WDV and our sector partners in continuing to advocate for a community where everyone can access the supports they need to participate fully, safely and with dignity.

"Today is a devastating day for our community. Today, women, girls and gender-diverse people have been left behind.

Women with disability are already more likely to experience violence, economic insecurity and barriers to the support we need to live independently. We are already fighting to be seen, heard and supported. This Bill makes those inequalities worse.

Women will be less safe. Less supported. More isolated.

And when support is cut, the need does not just disappear. It falls back onto women and families.

The Government has chosen to make women with disability, mothers, daughters, partners and carers carry the cost of these reforms on their backs.

We warned them where the harm would fall. They passed the Bill anyway.

WWDA will keep fighting for the rights, safety and equality of women, girls and gender-diverse people with disability. We will continue to hold the Government to account to ensure that our community is not abandoned by the systems that are supposed to support us."

- Sophie Cusworth, WWDA CEO

If today’s news is affecting your wellbeing, please look after yourself and reach out for support if you need it.

Lifeline: 13 11 14
1800RESPECT: Call 1800 737 732 | Text 0458 737 732 | 1800respect.org.au
Beyond Blue: Call 1300 22 4636 | https://buff.ly/nSFaPOZ
WWDA’s Neve Helpline Directory: https://buff.ly/SUTTaTy

Our Neve directory is WWDA’s own resource and includes specialist support options for violence and abuse, mental health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTQIA+ people and other needs.

[Image description: A square social media graphic featuring a close-up photograph of a woman with long dark hair, wearing a dark blazer, seated against a blue background. A purple panel across the bottom contains a white rounded text box with the quote: “The Government has passed a Bill that leaves women with disability less safe, less supported and more isolated. Women and families will be left to carry the cost. We warned them where the harm would fall. They passed it anyway.” The quote is attributed to Sophie Cusworth, WWDA CEO.]

19/08/2026

"If you treat a woman's pain without ever asking about her mental health, you have only done half the job."

Women's health is more than a series of separate issues. Physical health, mental health, reproductive health, and the social conditions of our lives are deeply connected. We need services and systems that recognise this reality and respond accordingly.

Read our latest statement on why investing in gender-responsive health services matters: https://ow.ly/rrNI50ZB9sM

07/08/2026

Thank you to the 70+ stakeholders who joined WHISE's Bridging the Gender Pain Gap in the South East workshop.

The day brought together diverse sectors to explore barriers women face when seeking care for pain and to identify solutions through collaboration, cultural safety and systems change.

Special thanks to our lived experience and stakeholder panellists for sharing their powerful experiences and expertise.

03/08/2026

Better women's sexual and reproductive healthcare is here - and it's made for you. From contraception and abortion care to free pain relief for IUDs, plus sexual health testing and treatment - Victoria's Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Hubs offer free appointments and confidential care. For the south east region: Peninsula Health (Hastings, Rosebud, Frankston) and Monash Health (Dandenong and Cranbourne).

For more hubs: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/sexual-and-reproductive-health-hubs -your-nearest-womens-sexual-and-reproductive-health-hub

Victorian Department of Health

29/07/2026

For a decade, nearly 40 organisations across Melbourne's south and south-east have worked together to prevent gender-based violence before it starts — across 10 councils and 1.56 million people.

We've put that experience to the Australian Government's Second Action Plan with one message: fund what makes prevention work. Prevention needs long-term investment in the infrastructure and skilled workforce that deliver it — not short grants that end every funding cycle.

Read our submission: https://whise.org.au/resources/prevention-infrastructure-that-already-works-a-submission-from-the-pret-partnership/

If this raises concerns for you, contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

Ged Kearney Tanya Plibersek Respect Victoria Safe and Equal

27/07/2026

Women's healthcare is getting better, so you can too. From and care to heavy , , and - specialist support is available to help you get the care you deserve.

With 15 Women's Health Clinics now open across Victoria, find one near you: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/services-and-support/womens-health-clinics -your-nearest-womens-health-clinic

23/07/2026

⚠️ This post discusses family violence.

Family violence is a pattern of power, control and coercion — deliberate, ongoing, and overwhelmingly used by men against women and children. Almost 9 in 10 people hospitalised for assault by a partner are women. Ending it is the responsibility of the person using violence.

We're restating that plainly today, because claims made on Brisbane radio this week suggested otherwise: that violence is a "two-way street," that women "can lose their cool as well," and that the answer is for women simply not to put up with it.

No one should have to live with violence. But leaving is rarely simple or safe — separation is one of the most dangerous times, and coercive control, money, housing and children can make it the hardest step of all. Safety is built by holding perpetrators to account and resourcing support, not by asking women to solve it alone.

And this isn't about one interview. These ideas are repeated across public life, and they're spreading: in 2021, 41% of Australians wrongly believed family violence is committed equally by men and women — up from 23% in 2009. What we repeat, we reinforce. The danger is in the idea, not the individual.

What we need from our leaders is simple: talk to the evidence, name the drivers, and back what works. Family violence is preventable. Prevention works.

The evidence is clear and publicly available — from , , and the .gov.au. We stand alongside the victim-survivors, advocates and specialists speaking up this week, including , and .

To every victim-survivor reading this: it is not your fault. We believe you. Support is here.
📞 1800RESPECT — 1800 737 732 (24/7)
📞 Men's Referral Service — 1300 766 491
🚨 Emergency — 000

22/07/2026

Everyone with a cervix deserves access to cervical screening that feels safe, supported and accessible.

Sexual Health Victoria is now offering a dedicated cervical screening service for people with a disability.

Their experienced clinicians can tailor your appointment to your individual needs create the most comfortable experience for you as possible. Support people are welcome.

In your cervical screening, you can choose to do a clinician-collected test, self-collected test or assisted self-collected test (with the help of a nurse), depending on your own needs and preferences.

Appointments are free for all people with a Medicare card.

Their new webpage also makes it easier for those with disability to book an appointment.

Appointments are available in-person, via video and on the telephone, the choice is yours!

To book visit shvic.org.au/CST-disability

21/07/2026

Keeping you safe during the upcoming AusAlert national test

On Monday 27 July 2026 at around 2:00 pm AEST, a national test of will take place across Australia. During this test, mobile phones, tablets and smart watches may:

- vibrate
- make a loud siren‑like sound for up to 10 seconds
- turn the screen on automatically

This will happen even if your device is on silent, low volume or do‑not‑disturb.

For some people, especially those using hidden safety devices, this alert could create risk. If receiving the test alert might not be safe for you, please take steps at least one hour before the test:

- Turn your devices off, or
- Switch them to aeroplane mode (if available), and
- Keep them off or in aeroplane mode for 24 hours.

You can still use Wi‑Fi while in aeroplane mode. If your device doesn’t have aeroplane mode, turning it off is the safest option.

If you are worried about your immediate safety, call 000.

More information is available at ausalert.gov.au.

20/07/2026

Women's healthcare is getting better, so you can too, with online care options and FREE women's health services across the state. Find your nearest clinic and learn more at womenshealth.vic.gov.au