Messages from Australian of the Year Rosie Batty, Minister Shannon Fentiman and an appearance from professional boxer Alex (Lionheart) Leapai, will be the focus of the day at the #RU4Respect event at the Logan Campus of Griffith University.
The showcase, to be held on Tuesday 27 October, sees the university partnering with ABC 612, Logan community organisation YFS and domestic violence support organisations to promote #R4Respect, an education and prevention strategy led by young people in Logan to prevent anti-social behaviour and violence.
ABC 612 ABC presenter Steve Austin will facilitate a Q&A forum to be broadcast throughout Queensland, the Northern Territory and into PNG. Guest panellists include Young Australian of the Year Jonty Bush, Griffith University’s Associate Professor Kathleen Baird and other notable leaders in the field of domestic violence prevention and action.
Speaking prior to the event, Rosie Batty congratulated Griffith: “By holding important community raising awareness we are adding our voices to the movement committed to standing beside those who experience family violence, This is a powerful message that we want to send……as we all come together as part of an important community response which cannot be overestimated.
“When different members of the community work together and coordinate their efforts to protect women and children and hold predators accountable, outcomes are more successful. Such co-ordination will ensure that the system is more responsive and victims/survivors receive the services they need.
“What is important is that a community develops a common understanding and response to domestic violence. Logan City has clearly started to develop its community thread around this issue. This was evident on Sunday 11 October when 450 members of the Logan community came together with Logan City Councillors, Logan City Major, State and Federal Members of Parliament, Logan Police Officers to join together the walk against family and domestic violence and took the Logan pledge to stand up against domestic violence.”
“This community event is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the many complex issues surrounding domestic violence. It’s a chance for people to come together and talk about the issues,” says Associate Professor Baird, a midwifery lecturer and domestic violence researcher from Menzies Health Institute Queensland.
All the money raised on the day will be donated to My Friends Place, a refuge for women facing homelessness as a result of domestic violence, and which was launched by Griffith students. See https://news.griffith.edu.au/2015/08/03/refuge-opened-by-griffith-social-work-students/
Founder of My Friends Place and Griffith Masters of Social Work student Stephanie Cooper, says: “This event will be brilliant for raising awareness and drawing the community together to show anger and disappointment about the violence happening women and men in our neighbourhood
“This is a community problem needing a community solution, and the money raised will be directly used to support women who have made the brave step to escape the violence, with things such as food, phone credit, travel funds (go cards) and other incidental expenses. It may also be used in the setting up of our second refuge as we will need to buy furniture and household goods.”