28th Annual Silent Domestic Violence Memorial March

The Stopping Family Violence team were privileged to be in attendance at the 28th Annual Silent Domestic Violence Memorial March at the Supreme Court Gardens in Perth on Friday 23rd November.

Verity James opened the event, welcoming everyone to the Rally, and introduced Community Elders Doolan-Leisha & Walter Eatts to deliver the Welcome to Country, with Sam Pilot-Kickett finishing the Welcome on the didgeridoo.

The Hon. Simone McGurk, Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence followed by Chris Dawson, WA Police Commissioner both took to the stand to speak about the tragedies that have occurred over the last 12 months and what we can do as a community to come together and take a stand to end domestic violence.

Amber, a survivor of domestic violence courageously shared her very personal and heart-wrenching story of living with domestic violence and life after her escape. Amber suggested that even though she escaped from the physical violence she felt that her life was still controlled through fear. Amber bravely continues to use her lived experience of domestic violence to help others in this area.

Anne Moore (Chair) and Angela Hartwig (CEO) of the Women’s Council took the stand to deliver a reading for the 28 homicide victims in the last year, with members of community and government services laying a single rose upon symbolic coffins to represent each victim. Members of the community were also invited to lay flowers in memory of those they had lost, followed by a one-minute silence to remember and honour all the men, women and children killed as a result of domestic violence in the last 12 months.

The Western Australian Police Pipe Band, followed by Minister McGurk and Police Commissioner Dawson, lead the Memorial March through Perth CBD and back to the Supreme Court Gardens. With approximately 1000 people in attendance, this was a fantastic turn out on the day, in which all over us at Stopping Family Violence felt honoured to be a part of. Other services in attendance included Communicare, Starick, Centrecare, White Ribbon, WA Police, Soroptimist International, Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Services, RUAH, Amnesty International, South Coastal Health and Community Services, Women’s Law Centre, Djinda Services, Outcare, Zonta House, Stirling Women’s Centre and many, many more.

Together we can put an end to Domestic Violence.