A day for reflection and for change

Ahead of White Ribbon Day on Saturday, this week I visited Radio Rentals in Central Maitland and caught up with some of the staff there who are really taking a stand against domestic violence. They are a White Ribbon Workplace so I encourage you to stop there if you can and show your support.

It’s something that deeply upsets me but nevertheless it’s a fact, violence against women remains a major issue in this country. That is why I’ll be taking time this Saturday to reflect on the issue as part of White Ribbon Day.

Astonishingly, one in three women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by someone known to them.

Two in five assaults reported to police in 2016 were caused by an intimate partner or family member and one that really upsets me is that one woman is killed every week by a current or former partner.

It’s not just at home that women have trouble either, with one in five women experiencing harassment in their workplace and one in five women over the age of 18 experiencing stalking.

It’s also important to remember the children that are effected by these types of incidents. One in four children are exposed to domestic violence growing up and I think that’s an especially sad statistic.

Domestic violence is something we really need to address as a community and White Ribbon Day gives us a chance to stop and reflect which is what I will be doing this Saturday.

For more information and to get involved go to the White Ribbon website.