STAND UP AND SAY 'NO' TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN & CHILDREN
Over 5,000 people are expected to join the Sutherland Shire White Ribbon Walk from Don Lucas Reserve, Wanda to Dunningham Park, Cronulla on Friday 23 November, 2018 to stand up against violence against women and children.
Students from Woolooware High School will once again lead the walk, joined by local authorities and members of our community, with the aim of changing attitudes and behaviours related to this type of violence.
Sutherland Shire Mayor, Councillor Carmelo Pesce is encouraging everyone to join the walk and raise awareness about violence in our community.
"This walk is about bringing people together to send out a strong message that violence against women and children needs to stop," Mayor Pesce said.
"It's time to change the culture around domestic violence and start conversations about this kind of behaviour being unacceptable," Mayor Pesce said.
On average each year in Australia, one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner and domestic violence contributes to more death, disability and illness in women aged 15 to 44 than any other preventable risk factor.
Local police from the Sutherland Shire Police Area Command, who will be taking part in the walk, currently receive between 65 and 70 new Apprehended Violence Orders a month.
Sutherland PAC Commander, Superintendent Jason Box, is calling on everyone in the community to get involved.
"Domestic and family violence is a crime that does not discriminate; it affects people from all walks of life and spans the entire geography of this state, including the Sutherland Shire local community," Superintendent Box said.
"It is important to remember that domestic violence does not only mean physical assaults. Psychological, mental and emotional abuse that intimidates or coerces a person is also a form of violence.
"Our officers from the Sutherland PAC are coordinating the walk with other community agencies in support of victims and to remind the community that there is no excuse for domestic or family violence."
When: Friday 23 November, 2018
Where: Meet at Don Lucas Reserve 10am
Walking to Dunningham Park, North Cronulla
Rotary will provide a free BBQ for all walkers at Dunningham Park.
The organising committee: Sutherland Shire Council, Sutherland Police Area Command, Woolooware High School, Enough is Enough, Caringbah Rotary, Sutherland Shire Domestic Violence Committee, Saint Vincent De Paul, Sydney Self Defence, The Beauty Bank, Sharks.
