Elsie: We Will not be Beaten

Elsie: We will not be Beaten will address the issue of domestic violence. On average, one woman in Australia is killed every 9 days by a current or former partner (Our Watch). Anger at the rising numbers of women murdered by their partners sparked a series of nationwide rallies across 2024/2025 including outside Parliament House Canberra. This issue remains in the headlines and connects with a motivated audience. Elsie: We will not be Beaten will provide context to the current campaign by exploring the little known history of the formation of the first women’s refuge. This documentary will write women back into the history books by showing the pioneering role feminist activists in the 1970s played in making domestic violence a national issue for Australian society.

When Anne Summer’s established Elsie in 1974 she never imagined that domestic violence would be the issue it is fifty years later. Yet domestic violence is now the leading preventable cause of death and illness for women aged 18 to 44 (Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety). Anger at the rising numbers of women murdered by their partners sparked a series of nationwide rallies across 2024/2025. This story has remained in the headlines for years and connects with a motivated audience who want to see real and lasting change for women. Elsie: We Will Not be Beaten will provide historic context to the current struggle to stop violence against women and will help inform, lead and inspire new activism for social change. This documentary will celebrate the pioneers who first made domestic violence an issue and shine a light on what needs to happen next to make a difference for the lives of women and children.

The inspiring story of the formation of Elsie has not yet been told, this presents a special opportunity to capture a significant part of Australia’s history while most of the protagonists are still alive. Sharing the story of Elsie will shed light on the power of activism to make real and lasting change, helping new generations of women find the confidence to forge ahead in preventing domestic violence. The story of Elsie is a story of solidarity and action across race, class, gender and age, it presents a unique opportunity to move beyond theory and explore what intersectional feminism looks like in practice. These aspects make the story of Elsie unique and powerful, not just for feminists, but for all those interested in social history and how change happens. This documentary will be a resource for schools and universities, feminist organisations, domestic violence workers and policy makers, survivors and their families. It is an inspiring story with broad appeal.

We have built trust with key stakeholders, founders, advocates, and people who work in the sector. We have access to archive materials, photos, stories, and people. We will build on these relationships to facilitate further access with the community as needed. In addition to this we have built a network of supporters who are willing to advocate on for the film.

This documentary will make a call to stop violence against women. What will make this documentary unique is the historical context it will provide. Elsie: We Will not be Beaten traces the impact of activism in the 1970s in making domestic violence an issue for the Australian public thus inviting audiences to consider the power of collective action to bring about social change. Providing this historical context will deepen viewers understanding of the issue of domestic violence and the ways in which Australian society has already changed, and what further changes are needed to resolve this issue in a lasting manner.