Erika Allen and Stefan Bradley
REPRESENTATIVES from family violence agencies, educators, Gippsland Women’s Health, Wellington Shire Council, along with more than 200 attendees gathered at the Sale Clocktower with candles in hand to observe the Annual Candlelight Vigil last Wednesday (May 1).
Beginning at 5.30pm as night fell on Domestic Violence Remembrance Day, speeches were given by Victoria Police Senior Constable, Aaron Ratten; Wellington Shire Mayor Ian Bye; and Leanne Fairbrother, the Gendered Violence Prevention Health Promotion Officer at Gippsland Women’s Health.
Following the three addresses, a minute of silence for victims of family and domestic violence was observed. The vigil ended before 6pm.
Constable Ratten spoke first. As part of the Wellington Family Violence Investigation Unit, he’s seen first-hand the impact of family and domestic violence. So far, in 2024, one woman has been lost to family violence every four days – and it’s only early May.
“That’s way too many,” Constable Ratten said. He said that police continue to offer support services to all parties in domestic violence incidents and engage with support services.
Cr Bye spoke next and thanked those who attended, noting the huge increase in attendance from about 20 people last year.
“Each of you has come here tonight to pay tribute and remember the lives lost to family and domestic violence,” Cr Bye said.
“Like all of us, I have been deeply affected by recent events, and I acknowledge that this year’s Candlelight Vigil carries a bigger significance than ever before.
“Two in five women have experienced violence since the age of 15. Shockingly, women are more likely to face violence from someone they know than from a stranger.”
In 2021, council endorsed the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan called Healthy Wellington, with Gender Equality as a key priority.
“Ending this violence demands a cultural shift and collective commitment from all levels of government. Locally, we’ve taken significant steps in gender equality, guided by partners like Gippsland Free From Violence and our broader Gender Equality Partners,” Cr Bye said.
Council is currently recruiting for a Social Connection and Inclusion Officer for Free From Violence, who will spearhead primary prevention policies and work with community partners to raise awareness about family and domestic violence.
Ms Fairbrother then took the microphone.
“We come together tonight, not in a time of celebration, as we would hope after a very challenging year, but rather as a community acknowledging the crisis facing Australian women and children and in fact women and children all over the world, from family violence,” she said.
“Family violence is any threatening, coercive, dominating or abusive behaviour that occurs between people in a family, domestic or intimate relationship, or former intimate relationship, that causes the person experiencing the behaviour to feel fear.
“Family violence can happen to anyone – regardless of country, religion, sexuality, gender, social background, socioeconomic status, age or culture, with much of it going unreported or unseen.”
Ms Fairbrother shared the disturbing fact that Wellington, Latrobe City and East Gippsland Shire are in the top eight of 79 local government areas (LGAs) in Victoria for family violence reporting per 100,000 people.
“Shockingly, this equates to 50 per cent of Gippsland being in the top eight LGAs in the state for family violence reporting. In addition, up to 76 per cent of the affected family members in the reports identified as female, and up to 53 per cent of incidents had a child present,” she said.
“If we as a community do not take a stand that family violence is unacceptable, openly challenge attitudes towards violence in the community that continue to place women and children at risk, these statistics will continue to increase. Family violence and violence against women is preventable.”
“Tonight we remember, honour and grieve for the women and children who have been killed by family violence. Enough is enough.”
Across the nation, this sentiment captured the Australian consciousness at rallies and marches advocating for awareness and accountability; at nation-wide vigils as people gathered wearing purple or bearing lit candles; as a moment of silence was observed at weekend sports games, and as landmarks were awash in purple last Wednesday.
However, tragically, there is a sense of déjà vu. In 2015, gender-based violence was labelled a ‘national crisis’ and an ‘epidemic’ by then Minister for Women and Minister for Employment, Michaelia Cash.
Eight years later, the current Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, used the same rhetoric on Sunday, April 28, when he addressed thousands of protesters at Canberra’s No More: National Rallies Against Gender-Based Violence march.
Mr Albanese responded to calls to declare the issue a national emergency, saying such decrees were a short-term legal avenue for use in natural disasters. He did, however, describe domestic violence as a ‘national crisis’ and scheduled an urgent cabinet meeting to discuss the issue.
Across Australia, the No More rallies, organised by the advocacy group What Were You Wearing (WWYW), drew people of all ages and genders who held signs advocating for an end to violence and greater accountability. In Canberra, people marched from Commonwealth Park to Parliament House, with Mr Albanese and Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher taking part.
“We are here today to demand that governments of all levels must do better, including my own, including every state and territory government,” Mr Albanese said in the speech.
“We’re here as well to say that society, and Australia, must do better. And yes, people do need to be made accountable. And I’ll be accountable for what my government does.”
On Wednesday, May 1, a national cabinet meeting was held to address the crisis.
The federal government announced nearly $1 billion would go towards permanently establishing a program that victim-survivors of violence could access when fleeing a violent partner.
The initiative is called The Leaving Violence Program (LVP) and is funded with $925.2 million over five years. Those eligible will be able to access up to $5000 in financial support along with referral services, risk assessments and safety planning.
Some eligibility criteria exist for those who want to apply for the payment, including:
– Have left or have a plan to leave an intimate partner violence relationship;
– Be 18-years-old or over;
– Be residing in Australia (as a citizen, permanent resident, or temporary visa holder);
– Be experiencing financial stress (based on agreed principles including that a person is unable to pay their current bills or is at imminent risk of not being able to pay their current bills);
– Have experienced a change in living arrangement as a result of the intimate partner violence in the past 12 weeks (including leaving the residence or having the person using violence excluded from the residence), and;
– Not have received the payment in the past 12 months.
The federal government says eligible victim-survivors will be provided with an individualised financial support package of up to $1500 in cash and up to $3500 in goods and services, as well as safety planning, risk assessment and referrals to other essential services for up to 12 weeks.
The payment amount will be indexed annually to keep up with the rising cost of living.
The government is still determining the exact way the scheme works and is seeking tenderers for a service provider to deliver the payments.
The Leaving Violence Program is modelled after the former federal government’s Escaping Violence Program, which was established as a pilot in October 2021.
The Escaping Violence Program allowed people leaving a violent relationship access to a one-off payment of up to $5000. This program is still running until the new permanent Leaving Violence Program is established in July 2025.
Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114
1800 Respect national helpline: 1800 737 732
Women’s Crisis Line: 1800 811 811
Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491
Relationships Australia: 1300 364 277
Vic Safe Steps crisis response line: 1800 015 188
