March participants united in bid to end violence against women

A 100-strong crowd marched down Kalgoorlie’s Hannan Street on Monday to speak out on violence against women. The White Ribbon Day march took place in conjunction with the global movement which aims to spark conversations about the action men can take to end violence. The local event was organised by counselling and support agency Centrecare and culminated in St Barbara’s Square. March participants were then invited to connect with local service providers or pledge their support by signing a large white ribbon. Centrecare team leader Rochelle Matagi said statistics showed the majority of victims, both women and men, experienced violence from a male perpetrator. “We’re not saying that violence doesn’t happen to men, but statistics show that women and men are more likely to be abused by men,” she said. “It’s really important that this initiative is here so we can acknowledge the need for men to step up and be the change that we expect to see in reducing our domestic violence statistics across Australia.” Monday also marked the first day of 16 Days in WA — a Statewide campaign which encourages individuals, organisations, and communities to change the way they think about violence against women. Ms Matagi said violence was not limited to physical abuse and could take many forms including emotional, financial, and spiritual abuse. “It’s important that we highlight that even the most invisible forms of domestic violence are still just as harmful as physical, visible forms of violence,” she said.