May marks Australia's Domestic and Family Violence Awareness Month with the first Wednesday of the month the annual national candlelight vigil. It is on this evening we remember those who have died due to domestic and family violence while holding space for all survivors, and those who have lost loved ones.
Here in South Australia 2020 SAPOL data showed an 11 per cent increase in domestic and family violence offences. Meanwhile so far this year 11 women and 1 child have died nationally from domestic and family violence.
This year we especially recognise communities and individuals who are disproportionately affected by domestic and family violence who are under recognised and under reported as victims. This includes, but not limited to, First Nations and other women and girls of colour, those with disability, LGBTIQ+ people including trans people and older women.
The South Australian keynote speaker at this year's Domestic and Family Violence Vigil is Vicky Welgraven, a proud Adnyamathanha woman from the Northern Flinders Ranges. She is a passionate champion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) women, ensuring their interests are represented and their voices are heard. Vicky is a White Ribbon Australia Community Partner, Board Director of Our Watch, and current member of the Premier's Council for Women.
This year's vigil will once again be held via Zoom Webinar from 5:30pm, Wednesday 5 May and we encourage all South Australians to light a candle and hold a moment of silence with the sharing of photos of commemorative candles with the hashtags #VigilSA and #EndDV to connect with others during the event.
Quotes from Embolden Co-Chair Susie Smith:
"While anyone can be impacted by domestic and family violence, women and their children are overwhelmingly the victims, with men overwhelmingly the perpetrators. This is not a political opinion - this is an evidence-based fact."
"We also know that domestic and family violence is a form of gender-based violence and to end it, we must address the underlying drivers of gender-based violence. This includes recognising that women's rights are human rights."
"While children are directly impacted by domestic and family violence we also know that women who witnessed partner violence as a child are more than twice as likely to be subjected to partner abuse as adults."
