4 Of Victorias Powerful Men Take A Stand Against Family Violence
Without Prejudice
Herald sun article, today 22.07.2013
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Herald sun article, today 22.07.2013
LAW & ORDER
Victoria's most powerful men declare war on family violence
YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY
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FOR generations, family violence has been Victoria's hidden disgrace.
We might have known it under another name. A domestic. A bloke giving his missus a touch-up. A private dispute. And none of our business.
It's none of these things. It's not a dispute and it's not just a domestic. It's a crime. It almost always involves a man attacking a woman. And it is everyone's business.
It's time for us to get involved. It's time for all Victorians to say enough is enough.
Today, the Herald Sun is launching a campaign called Take a Stand to confront the scourge of family violence in our community. The campaign will not make for comfortable reading. Family violence is devastating.
Every week in Australia, a woman dies at the hands of her partner or ex-partner. In Victoria, it's the leading contributor to preventable death, illness and disability in women aged 15-44 years.
It costs the Victorian economy $3.4 billion a year in police and courts costs, hospital time, ambulance response, lost productivity and support.
It will be hard for all of us to confront the reality that is family violence. It may mean we have to accept that the mate from work, the good bloke from the footy club, or the friendly neighbour from down the street is beating his partner and possibly his children behind closed doors.
But the figures do not lie.
Last year, police responded to a record 50,382 family violence reports in Victoria. Of these callouts, 16,046 were assaults in the home. The overwhelming majority of the victims were women, bashed and beaten by their partners or ex-partners.
- Scroll down to chat live with Chief Commissioner Ken Lay at 12:30pm and watch the four videos
- #Takeastand against domestic violence with the Herald Sun twitter campaign
FROM THE HOMEPAGE
VICTORIA'S four most influential men have come together to call for an end to family violence.
Premier Denis Napthine, Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and AFL chief Andrew Demetriou accepted an invitation from the Herald Sun to lend their voices to a new campaign called Take a Stand, which aims to reduce family violence in our community.
So good and about time x
