South West Sydney Domestic Violence Conference 2026
Description
The South West Sydney Domestic Violence Committee is pleased to announce the 9th Annual South West Sydney Domestic & Family Violence Conference, taking place on Thursday 19 November 2026 at Western Sydney University, Parramatta South Campus.
Ticket price includes full access to all conference sessions, lunch and refreshments throughout the day.
This year’s theme:
WHO CONTROLS THE STORY?
Power, Discourse & Accountability
How do the language we use, the narratives we create and the systems we work within shape our understanding of domestic and family violence?
And who gets to tell the story?
Join us as we bring together leading voices, frontline workers, community leaders, advocates and others from across the DV sector to explore these questions, challenge perspectives and consider what accountability can look like in practice.
We’re excited to announce our first confirmed speakers: Sherele Moody, Nour Haydar, Prof Jennifer Burn, Arlia Flemming, Dr Monique Moffa, Hayley Longbottom, Kuyan Mitchell, Elsie Cheung and Elly Desmarchelier, with more speakers to be announced soon.
Bonnie Support Services is proud to be the Gold Sponsor of this year’s conference, working alongside CORE Community Services and Services Australia to bring this important event to the South West Sydney community.
Lineup
Monique Moffa
Dr Monique Moffa is a Lecturer in Criminology & Justice Studies at RMIT University, and an assistant manager of the Bridge of Hope Innocence Initiative.
Mel Daley
Mel Daley is a proud Wiradjuri woman with more than 25 years of professional experience in the community and non-profit sectors, including working as a counsellor, advocate, educator, mentor, and activist.
Jennifer Burn
Professor Jennifer Burn is the Director of Anti-Slavery Australia, a university-based law and research centre dedicated to advancing the rights of people who have experienced all forms of modern slavery.
Sherele Moody
Sherele Moody is an anti-violence activist, award-winning journalist, femicide and child death researcher and the creator of Australia's only memorial to women and children lost to violence.
Arlia Flemming
Arlia Flemming is the Chief Executive Officer of the Central Tablelands and Blue Mountains Community Legal Centre and has experience across generalist community legal centres, Women’s Legal Services and Family Violence Prevention Legal Services.
Nour Haydar
Nour Haydar is a co-host and senior producer of Guardian Australia's award-winning daily news podcast Full Story and has been outspoken about the need to improve reporting on gender-based violence.
Sara Muzamil
Sara Muzamil is the Finding Safety Project Manager at Jesuit Refugee Service Australia and an Executive Member of the National Advocacy Group for Women on Temporary Visas Experiencing Violence.
Hayley Longbottom
Hayley Longbottom is a Jerrinja, Cullunghutti, Wandi Wandandian woman and is currently the Chief Executive Leader of Health and Wellbeing, and a NAATSIWHP Ambassador.
Kuyan Mitchell
Kuyan Mitchell is a proud Wiradjuri, Gnunnawal and Bundjalung man and is experienced in policy, program development and facilitation, system reform and community-led design.
Elsie Cheung
Elsie Cheung is the Forced Marriage Project Coordinator at Anti-Slavery Australia and has extensive experience in the modern slavery space, initially providing free legal assistance to people affected by modern slavery, and later transitioning to research, training and resource development.
Elly Desmarchelier
Uncle Bruce Gale - Welcome to Country
Session Information
Session 1 – The language of violence: The power behind the words
This panel will feature industry leaders, advocates, researchers, and journalists who will explore the role language plays in maintaining a culture of violence. The panel will discuss the notion that how we write about and speak about violence affects how we feel about and respond to violence.
Session 2 – Misidentified Victim-Survivors, Guilty Pleas and Criminal Consequences
This session will explore the issue of victim-survivors of domestic and family violence being misidentified as ‘predominant aggressors’ and the subsequent snowball effect this has on their lives. The aim of this session is to highlight the role the legal system plays in creating justice vs injustice, empowerment vs oppression, and safety vs lasting harm.
Session 3 – First Nations voices: Challenging narratives & demanding accountability
This panel will feature First Nations researchers, advocates, frontline workers and policy makers reflecting on the theme of the conference ‘Who Controls the Story? Power, Discourse and Accountability’. Centring First Nations perspectives when examining how systems and language play a huge role in perpetuating violence against women, especially First Nations women, is critical.
Session 4 – My Blue Sky: Identifying and Responding to Forced Marriage
This session will provide insight into the workings of ‘My Blue Sky’, a national forced marriage service run by Anti-Slavery Australia at the University of Technology Sydney. The aim of this session is to help audience members gain a better understanding of what forced marriage is and guidance about how to support someone experiencing forced marriage.
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