White Ribbon Day
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Yesterday, 25 November I commemorated the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, or White Ribbon Day. I attended with 600 other Queenslanders at an event co-hosted by Premier Anastasia Palaczszuk and Dame Quentin Bryce. I and other White Ribbon Ambassadors attended.
Several ambassadors of change, Darren Lockyer, Aurizon CEO Lance Hockridge, psychologist and COAG representative Ed Mosby and Magistrate Strohfeld all spoke of the critical beef for men to stand up and challenge entrenched attitudes to violence.
Two events stood out for me. The Premier announced up to 10 days domestic violence leave a year, on top of other leave entitlements. Wonderful, though sad it’s needed.
The other was the increase in domestic violence applications at Southport since the specialist domestic violence court trial commenced. I thought may be 2,3 or say even 10%. No, the increase has been a whopping 59%! What other pent up demand for safety is there elsewhere in the country that the courts and society have not yet accommodated?
Quentin Bryce and Anastasia Palaczszuk in front of the Gallipoli choir.
Grace Grace MP
Magistrate Colin Strohfeld
Aurizon CEO Lance Hockridge
