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Inaugural Busselton White Ribbon Day march to end violence against women and children

Taylar AmoniniBusselton Dunsborough Times
Representatives from The Dunsborough Mens Shed, The City of Busselton, White Ribbon Committee members and Rose Harrington from the Rotary Club.
Camera IconRepresentatives from The Dunsborough Mens Shed, The City of Busselton, White Ribbon Committee members and Rose Harrington from the Rotary Club.

The Busselton community will officially stand up against violence towards women and children in a silent candlelit march down Queen Street on Friday night.

The South West Capes Committee organised for the global event to take its first steps in Busselton, helping to strengthen the voice for victims, as part of White Ribbon Day.

Committee chair Sue Riccelli said the initiative aimed to change attitudes and behaviour which supported and excused violent behaviour, with the inaugural Busselton march focusing on preventing the trans-generational link of violence against women and children. “The silent march is done on the same day globally and signifies those who have lost their lives to family and domestic violence,” Ms Riccelli said.

“It gives those people the courage and strength to come forward and seek support as well.”

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Ms Riccelli said research showed in Australia one in three teens thought controlling someone was not a form of abuse and one in four teens thought it was OK for men to pressure women into sex.

In addition to the march, the South West Capes Committee has launched the Purple Bench project, with the support of the Busselton Rotary Club, Dunsborough Men’s Shed and Bunnings. The project will involve the installation of a purple bench to honour people who have lost their lives to domestic violence.

Ms Riccelli said the bench would also provide a space for people to reflect and have respite from what might be going on in their lives.

A location for the bench is yet to be determined.

Mrs Riccelli said the bench would be the first in the South West and she hoped a new one would be added each year to the region.

Busselton’s inaugural White Ribbon Day March will begin at 6.15pm.

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