Community
22 November, 2024
Orange lights for 16 Days campaign
CORANGAMITE Shire Council will be participating in this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign in Victoria.
For the duration of the campaign, council will fly the Respect Victoria flag on the Community Flagpole, and the Camperdown clocktower and courthouse will be lit up in orange each night.
Reusable shopping bags will be distributed to grocery stores around the shire, which are free for residents and display key contact information for those needing support.
This year’s campaign encourages all Victorians to work together to prevent violence against women.
Mayor Kate Makin would also like to remind the community they can donate their old mobile phones to help violence survivors.
“We are continuing our partnership with DV Safe Phone to provide authorised phone drop locations around the shire.” she said.
“If you have any working mobile phones that you no longer use, please consider donating them.
“You can help make a positive difference in the lives of those experiencing family violence.
“Donated phones are erased, refurbished and then provided to survivors as a safe and private way to reach out for support.
“We have DV Safe Phone drop off points at our Camperdown, Cobden, Derrinallum, Terang and Timboon library branches.”
More than one in three women have experienced violence at the hands of men.
On average, a woman is killed by a man she knows every 10 days, and in 2024 that number is much higher.
Safety for women is not a given in any community – and neither is respect.
Respect Victoria chair professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon said it all starts with attitudes and respect.
“To eliminate men’s violence against women we need to address the harmful attitudes and behaviours that drive violence in society,” she said.
“Importantly, everyone has a role to play.
“This 16 Days of Activism let’s work together to challenge harmful ideas about gender and power, and to create a future where all women live free from violence.”
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign runs from Monday, November 25 - the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women - until Human Rights Day on Tuesday, December 10.
Corangamite Shire is committed to working with local and statewide services to reduce family violence and its impacts on communities.
Council is also leading the way in addressing family violence and violence against women with a three-year funded program in partnership with Family Safe Victoria, the Municipal Association of Victoria and Local Government Victoria to address the drivers of family violence and violence against women in our shire.
For more information go to safeandequal.org.au, respectvictoria.vic.gov.au, or www.dvsafephone.org
If you need help you can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 7328.
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