The City of Ballarat is continuing its commitment towards building a safer and more compassionate society through its support of two upcoming events this October during Community Safety Month.
Reclaim the Night is an international movement for the elimination of sexual violence and abuse of women and girls.
A Reclaim the Night community march will be held in Ballarat on Friday 25 October at Lake Wendouree, beginning at the Almeida Pavilion at 7.30pm and finishing at the McDonald Bandstand.
The theme of this year's event is 'I Demand…', with members of the community encouraged to step up and share their demands for change both leading up to the march and on the night.
For details, visit rtnballarat.wixsite.com/rtnb
Reclaim the Night ties in with Council's 2018 Right to the Night Project, which saw local women and girls use online mapping technology to map out public spaces in the Ballarat CBD where they felt safe or unsafe.
The results are being used to inform decision-making around the design of safer public spaces in the city.
Meanwhile, Ballarat Police Superintendent Jenny Wilson will deliver a public lecture for parents on a compassionate approach to the turmoil that is part of adolescence on Monday 21 October.
Titled "A Compassionate Approach to Teenage Turmoil", the free lecture will be held at Ballarat Tech School, 136 Albert Street, at 6pm.
Jenny will provide ideas and recommendations for dealing with the first time your child is the victim of crime - or a first-time offender.
To register for the Compassion Ballarat event, visit bit.ly/2AXdYMb
"We all have a role to play in making our community safer," Ballarat Mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh said.
"For us as a Council, a priority area of our Community Safety Strategic Statement 2017-2021 is CBD public safety and approaches to community safety issues around partnerships, evidence-based practice, placemaking for safe and health places and spaces, and community strengthening and capacity building."
Council's Community Safety Advisory Committee brings together a cross section of people from a variety of organisations and backgrounds who share a set of beliefs, attitudes and values that support the promotion of safety and prevention of injury and crime in our community.
Key focus areas include preventing violence against women, alcohol and drug issues, CBD public safety, neighbourhood safety and wellbeing, and perceptions of safety.
