In the time it will take you to read this article, one woman will be hospitalised in Australia due to domestic violence.
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This is an important statistic due to the fact that around the country today is White Ribbon Day, a uniquely Australian campaign to prevent male violence towards women.
In a year that has seen a staggering 78 murders of women by their domestic partner or a male they knew very well, Bega Valley Shire Council has held a public forum within their chambers.
The forum was hosted by group manager of council’s community, relations and leisure group, Anthony Basford who offered the room a statistical analysis of male on female violence in Australia and urged the community to make “widespread cultural change.”
“Collectively men can make a difference by taking responsibility for their actions,” he said to the room of councilors, community members, community group members and police force representatives.
South East Women and Children's Services Staying Home Leaving Violence program manager Caroline Long reflected on the 78 women killed this year by pondering if they were victims of “terrorists” their deaths would create outrage.
“Domestic violence is a gender crime,” she said.
“And violence should never be tolerated under any circumstances.”
Ms Long said that within communities domestic violence is often seen as an issue that only concerns women rather than a “community issue” and the common habit of “unconscious victim blaming”.
She spoke of studies that increasingly show that men blame others for their violence, while women can blame themselves for violence being used against them.
“I would encourage people to be proactive against violence because there is no excuse for violence ever,” she said.
Representatives of council’s Brighter Futures program spoke of the recent prevalence in Australia of domestic infanticide and the “unpredictable” environment that many children live in every day.
Mr Basford then showed the room an excerpt of a 2013 TED talk by American anti-sexism activists, educator, author, filmmaker, and cultural theorist Jackson Katz titled “Violence against women—it's a men's issue”.
During the mini-lecture Mr Katz spoke of “men standing with women” as he advocates for “adult men with power to start prioritising these issues”.
Sitting in the public gallery with other community members was Sapphire Men’s Group member Peter Cross, who said the forum was crucial as it included men in the community with the power to promote the change needed throughout the community.
“When you have people with the ability to help the community on such an important issue it helps galvanise and educate the community,” Mr Cross said.
“We are looking for men in the community to look at this issue and make a positive change.
“It’s a real cultural thing that needs education and the creation of opportunities to talk about this.”
He felt that confronting a male friend who was showing violent tendencies would be difficult but necessary in dealing with the issue of violence in the community.
“I would suggest that they need to go and get some professional help because it’s ok to tell someone that their actions are unacceptable.
“I would ask them, do you reckon it’s time to get some help?”