May begins Australia's Domestic and Family Violence Awareness Month with Wednesday 4 May marking the annual national candlelight vigil for those who have died by domestic and family violence. It is on this evening we remember those we have lost while holding space for all survivors, families and friends.
This year's South Australian vigil will for the first time be held at the Place of Courage – Rotary Ripple public commemorative artwork from 5:30pm at Rotary Park, Christie's Beach.
In Australia, 17 women are known to have died from violence already in 2022, three of whom were in South Australia. SAPOL data shows almost 10,000 DFV related offenses were reported in 2021.
This year, in South Australia we pay particular attention to the need to listen to victim-survivors, and centre the voice of lived experience in all efforts to prevent and respond to domestic and family violence.
The South Australian keynote speakers at this year's Domestic and Family Violence Vigil are Helen Oxenham OAM and Heather Oxenham. Helen Oxenham is a survivor of childhood domestic violence and was bestowed an Order of Australia Medal in 2020 for her life-long work supporting women in need. Helen and Heather will be joined by domestic violence lived experience advocates from Voices for Change SA, and The Honourable Katrine Hildyard MP, Minister for Child Protection; Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence; Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing.
All South Australians are welcome to join in person, via livestream or in spirit, to light a candle and hold a moment of silence with the hashtags #VigilSA and #LightACandle2022 to connect with others during the event.
To join the Vigil go to https://events.humanitix.com/domestic-and-family-violence-vigil-sa
Quote from Embolden Co-Chair Maria Hagias:
"As we remember and honour those who have lost their lives, we uphold and centre the voices of lived experience, particularly of women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence. We stand in solidarity with communities and individuals who are disproportionately affected by DFV, while at the same time are under recognised and under reported as victims of gender-based abuse. We can– we must – all pay our part in ending domestic and family violence."
Quote from Embolden Voices for Change Lived Experience Advocate, Pay Our Respects Co-founder and Vigil MC Stacey Nelan:
"On this day, we remember those lost to domestic and family violence. Those whose names and stories we know, and those of whom we know too little. And we honour them all through this act of remembrance, and by reaffirming our collective commitment to saying no more violence."
