- 16 Days in WA campaign launches, calling on everyone to play their part to family and domestic violence
- Campaign aims to raise awareness and support cultural change
- Western Australians encouraged to wear orange, attend events, and take action in their community to show their support to end gender-based violence
The Cook Government’s 16 Days in WA – Stop Violence Against Women campaign for 2023 starts today.
Now in its seventh year, the 16 Days in WA campaign runs from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) through to 10 December (Human Rights Day).
The campaign theme for 2023 is “Stopping Family and Domestic Violence: Play Your Part”, which encourages everyone to take action to increase awareness of family and domestic violence, call out disrespectful behaviour and help stop the cycle of violence.
Family and domestic violence takes many forms and can include physical, psychological, emotional, sexual and economic abuse.
It occurs in intimate and family relationships and profoundly impacts victim-survivors’ safety, well-being and economic security.
It continues to be a significant and unacceptable issue in our community, with one in four women having experienced intimate partner violence, and this increases to three in five for Aboriginal women.
Yet, nearly one-third of Australians think that sometimes a woman can make a man so angry that he hits her, and 42 per cent think that family and domestic violence is often just a normal reaction to day-to-day stress.
To mark the campaign, 56 significant landmarks across the State will be lit up in orange including Matagarup Bridge, Optus Stadium, Elizabeth Quay, RAC Arena and the Antenna Dish in Carnarvon.
The Cook Government is determined to stop family and domestic violence in all its forms, committing more than $300 million for prevention, early intervention and response programs since 2017.
For more information about how you can play your part, go to 16days.wa.gov.au.
To hear more from Western Australians playing their part, go to 16 Days in WA – People making change (www.wa.gov.au).
People experiencing family and domestic violence can call the Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline 1800 007 339, or Men’s Domestic Violence Helpline 1800 000 599, or the national Helpline 1800 RESPECT.
As stated by Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Sabine Winton:
“I call on everyone to play their part and take action to increase awareness of family and domestic violence, to call out disrespect, harassment and abuse whenever you see it happening to stop the cycle of violence.
“There are many Western Australians doing extraordinary things to help break the cycle of family and domestic violence, and I am grateful for their passion, dedication and commitment.
“It’s important to recognise that we can all play a part in preventing domestic violence. It starts with modelling respectful behaviour with family, friends, and colleagues, speaking up when you hear a sexist joke or challenging gender stereotypes when you see them.
“Visit 16days.wa.gov.au for 16 ways to play your part.”
