Wagga Wagga Women’s Health Centre Coordinator Jessica Roberts and Wagga Council’s Community Development Coordinator Alex Osgood highlight the activities and events being held in Wagga Wagga over the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Photo: Wagga Wagga City Council.
The Wagga Domestic Violence Liaison Committee (DLVC) is calling on the Riverina community to take a stand ahead of the international 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
The global campaign, first organised by Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991, begins on Monday 25 November – the same day recognised as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – and concludes on Tuesday 10 December, International Human Rights Day.
The campaign is led by the DVLC and is chaired by the Wagga Women’s Health Centre (WWHC), which play a pivotal role in connecting women over 16 years of age to services and support while advocating for equality and increased service provision in the region.
WWHC Operations Coordinator and Wagga DLVC Chairperson Jessica Roberts said domestic and family violence was not limited to physical violence.
“It includes other forms of equally harmful abuse such as psychological and financial abuse or coercive control,” Ms Roberts said. “None of these forms of violence is acceptable, yet unfortunately they persist in our community.
“To commence 16 Days of Activism, the community is invited to join us for a poignant vigil at council’s Museum of the Riverina – Botanic Gardens site, where we will commemorate the lives lost this year to intimate partner violence.”
The commemorative vigil and installation will be held on Monday 25 November, from 6:30 – 8 pm.
While domestic and family violence goes largely unreported, the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research states that one in four Australian women is impacted by domestic violence in their lifetime, with Wagga Wagga reporting 498 incidents from July 2023 to June 2024 (BOCSAR, 2024).
Council is an active member of the Wagga DVLC and will be hosting several community education programs promoting safe and respectful relationships, which is a key priority in its Community Safety Action Plan 2022-2026.
Council is working with Paula Smith from Upstream Educators to present three key topics for services workers and their volunteers informed by the Wagga DVLC, including coercive control, online and technology-facilitated abuse, and financial and economic abuse.
Council’s Director Community Janice Summerhayes said that during the 16 Days of Activism, eradicating domestic and family violence should be a conversation everyone was having because everyone deserved to be safe.
“To mark the campaign, we will temporarily illuminate Fitzmaurice Street with purple lights and are partnering with police and local emergency services to host a free Family and Community Safety Day on Saturday 7 December, from 10 am to midday, providing a safe space for people to raise concerns and ask questions,” Ms Summerhayes said.
“Council is committed to advocating for resources and funding levels that support front-line services and other organisations addressing coercive control, abuse, and violence as outlined in council’s adopted advocacy plan.”
There is an opportunity for everyone across the community to play an active role and break the silence on gender-based violence.
Find the full program here.
Anyone impacted by sexual, domestic or family violence can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Full Stop Australia on 1800 385 578.
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