Wednesday 27th November 2019

With the sun shining above, there was a fantastic turn out of community members, organisations and students from respectful relationships schools (7 schools in total) attending the “Walk to Change the Story” in Bairnsdale, organised by Gippsland Lakes Complete Health.  A number of local businesses dressed up their shop windows in orange as a show of support.

In Australia and around the world, women and children continue to suffer abuse from male family members and partners.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that 1 in 6 Australian women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by their partner.

In this community, the local rate of family violence is 50 percent higher than the Victorian average.

This event coincides with 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. It is an annual global campaign that runs from 25 November to 10 December.

Quantum Support Services is proud to be part of this campaign with local organisations committed to ending violence against women and girls. Family violence is a critical health issue, and it’s vital we all work together to educate the community about the key role that gender inequality plays in causing family violence and all forms of violence against women.

Gippsland Lakes Complete Health spearheads this campaign with Organisations such as:

• Quantum Support Services
• East Gippsland Shire
• Uniting
• Anglicare
• Latrobe Community Health Service
• Bairnsdale Regional Health Service
• GCASA

We would also like to thank Victorian Police Family Violence Unit for attending as well.