BEHIND closed doors and often shrouded in shameful silence, confusion and fear, there are women who will hide the physical and emotional bruises of domestic abuse.
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More than 1.6 million Australian women have experienced domestic violence in some form, many by the hand of a partner or husband. Most never imagined it would happen to them, or continue to endure the abuse fearing the consequences of leaving.
On Friday night, Hastings residents are being urged to come together to say enough is enough. The White Ribbon campaign the world’s largest male-led movement to prevent male perpetrated violence against women. White Ribbon Night is an opportunity to speak openly with friends and family about the devastating impacts of domestic violence on individuals, families and the community.
White Ribbon supporter and self defence instructor, Jason Harris, said it is time community attitudes about violence change.
The owner of Crossfit ACFC will host a White Ribbon Night event on Friday encouraging all members training throughout the day to wear white with money raised supporting the White Ribbon campaign cause.
“As a teacher of martial arts I have had many women in this community come to me to be taught how to defend themselves because they are, or fear they will be, a victim of domestic violence,” Mr Harris said.
“It is amazing how many people will stay in a violent situation. A lot of people can be complacent and have the attitude that violence just won’t happen to them - believe me, it does.
“Self defence helps, but the best defence is to get out of the situation.”
Men from local government, sporting clubs, business and community groups united earlier this year to support the Hastings Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Service campaign No Excuses, launched statewide by Domestic Violence NSW.
Ensuring the conversation continues locally is an important step forward in recognising domestic violence is an issue that has devastating impacts, said Hastings White Ribbon ambassador and mayor Peter Besseling. There have been calls for all states and territories to implement Northern Territory laws that make it a crime for any adult to fail to report domestic violence to police if they have knowledge a person’s safety is under threat. This has been backed by a push for reforms to the court system to have domestic and family violence cases addressed in a separate, less threatening tribunal.
"Across the country, there will be many fundraising events to support White Ribbon's work. Whatever you are up on Friday night, I would encourage all men to have at least one conversation with a father, brother, son or friend to discuss how domestic violence is unacceptable," Mr Besseling said.
"With apologies to Edmund Burke, the only thing necessary for domestic violence to flourish, is that good men to do nothing."
Without those conversations, the statistics will continue to tell a shocking story. One woman dies every week as a result of domestic violence which is also astonishingly the leading cause of death and injury for women under the age of 45 in Australia. The impact does not just stop with the victim either. One million children every year are a witness to, or experience first hand, physical or emotional violence behind the closed doors of their own homes. Last year on the Mid-North Coast, police and the courts dealt with more than 1000 criminal incidents of domestic violence related assaults.
In conjunction with White Ribbon Night, NSW Police has teamed up with Australian Hotels Association NSW to launch a new campaign to raise awareness to the issue of domestic violence.
A range of domestic violence-themed drink coasters and posters will soon be in use at Hastings hotels to generate conversation and help bring the issue of domestic violence to the forefront of community conversation. More than 600,000 coasters have been printed and distributed across the state.
To register a White Ribbon Night event, go to www.whiteribbon.org.au/night