By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
IT’S so much more than a little white ribbon.
Hundreds of people throughout Casey, Cardinia and the City of Dandenong wore the now iconic white ribbon on Monday in collective support of White Ribbon Day, part of the crucial campaign to end men’s violence against women.
White Ribbon Day events were held throughout the three municipalities this week, beginning with the White Ribbon Men’s Breakfast in Pakenham on Monday, where roughly 70 men signed the Men’s Pledge to prevent violence against women.
Later in the morning, 40 people walked down Main St, Pakenham with black and white balloons to display their support of the White Ribbon campaign.
In Dandenong on Tuesday, men, women and children marched from Dandenong Market to the Drum Theatre for the inaugural City of Greater Dandenong Walk Against Family Violence, culminating in a series of moving speeches in the packed theatre.
Casey Police Inspector Wayne Viney said family violence statistics in Australia were damning, with police taking a report of family violence in Casey, Cardinia and the City of Dandenong about every 70 minutes.
“One Australian woman every week is killed by a current or former partner.
“One in every three women will be a victim of family violence during their life time,” Insp Viney said.
“I challenge you to stop and count the number of women in your life, your mother, your wife, your daughter, your sister.
“The statistics are clear, there is every chance one in every three of the women closest to you will be the subject of family violence.”
Insp Viney’s comments were followed by crime statistics released by Victoria Police on Wednesday that show one in three family violence intervention orders were breached in the state from September 2012 to September 2013.
“There comes a time in every person’s life when you decide enough is enough,” Insp Viney said.
This week people from all over Casey, Cardinia and Dandenong made that decision.
