Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to outline the hard work that has been happening in my electorate over recent years to speak out about violence against women. Almost 500,000 Australian women have been subject to some form of violence from a partner or ex-partner. In my local electorate of Ballarat, one particular centre, as a result of domestic violence, provided 122 women and 223 children with crisis accommodation in the last year alone. Another local centre received contact from over 200 local women who were subject to family violence, and I could go on.

Violence against women occurs in all states across all family types and it knows no boundaries. The majority of women affected do not have their voices heard and in most cases the violence occurs in their own homes. The majority of their voices are not heard because many women fear that if they speak out the violence will escalate, fear that speaking out will not make things better and fear that they may lose their homes or income or children.

Men who are violent towards women tend to destroy their self-esteem and shift the blame onto the woman. Imagine living in fear in your own home from the very person you should expect to care for you. This is one of the greatest silent crimes of our times. Most acts of violence towards women are never spoken of and the issue is difficult to talk about. But, for those affected, it is even more difficult to experience. Sadly, there are still thousands of silent voices across our nation.

On the local front, the entire Ballarat community is getting behind the campaign to stop violence against women. The Ballarat White Ribbon Day Committee was established in 2004 to create a local force campaigning to eliminate violence against women. The number of Ballarat White Ribbon Day ambassadors is growing, with 40 ambassadors expected by year’s end and a target of 100 set for the near future. The Ballarat White Ribbon Day Committee has been driving various local programs, such as the introduction of a young ambassadors program in 2008 involving Ballarat High School, Daylesford Secondary College and St Patrick’s College, all having young secondary school students campaigning on this very important issue, with 2009 looking equally successful. Primary schools across the electorate have also been getting involved in a postcards project where young students produce postcards with personal drawings about the importance of positive family relationships. It is encouraging to see local primary schools and secondary schools showing leadership in this area.

The Ballarat Football League is another example of a local community leader in the fight to stop violence against women. The league’s CEO, Rod Ward, who is also a local White Ribbon Day ambassador, has worked hard to put this at the forefront of the league’s agenda. Throughout the last season the league has sold over 100,000 footy records with a message about stopping violence against women featured in every edition. Parents, coaches, staff volunteers, local supporters and the 9,500 footballers and netballers in the Ballarat Football League have also stood firmly in support of this issue all season. Last Saturday the Ballarat Football League saw two hard-fought semifinals occur between Darley and Lake Wendouree and between Redan and East Point.

To further address the league’s determination to break silence on this issue, the league dedicated these semifinals to stamping out family violence. White ribbons and wristbands were sold at both matches and all football and netball players wore white armbands during the game. There was a minute’s silence to recognise the issue prior to the Darley and Lake Wendouree matches. Furthermore, the weekend before, East Point Football Netball Club themed their president’s luncheon on the importance of White Ribbon Day. The Ballarat committee is looking to soon launch a local website to give women and men across the region a better understanding of the issue. The website was produced by students of the University of Ballarat as part of their curriculum.

This really is a whole-of-community effort, a community driven campaign. The work of local groups throughout the Ballarat electorate to address family violence and more specifically violence against women is highly commendable and I commend the hard work of the Ballarat White Ribbon Day Committee for assisting many women to have their voices heard. I congratulate the local primary and secondary schools, the University of Ballarat, Ballarat Football League, the many volunteers and the White Ribbon Day ambassadors for setting the foundations for the Ballarat region to pave the way for changing community culture.

We have all had enough. It is unacceptable that women live in fear and silence, and women should not feel alone. Only when the community speaks out will this feeling subside. Only with a change in culture and passion to be heard will communities come together to stamp out what is an absolute, basic violation of human rights.