Great Southern residents urged to take a stand in 16 Days in WA to Stop Violence Against Woman campaign

Great Southern residents are being urged to continue taking a stand against family and domestic violence as WA’s 16 Days in WA to Stop Violence Against Women campaign draws to a close.

Katanning has been coloured orange over the past fortnight, from a casual dress day at Braeside Primary School to a showcase of books promoting gender equality at Katanning Library.

This year’s campaign is being supported by the Early Years Initiative, a partnership between the State Government, the Telethon Kids Institute and the Minderoo Foundation.

“I think people’s attitudes are slowly changing but it’s good to encourage people to think a little bit different than they normally do with a lot of biases and ideas that are probably not current,” EYI community engagement officer Pauline Anyon said.

Although some in the community might not be at risk from domestic and family violence, Ms Anyon said the campaign was designed to encourage those who were not causing or receiving harm to help reduce its impact.

“It is about helping bystanders — knowing who to help, knowing who to ring and knowing when, where and how to intervene,” she said.

A range of local organisations and agencies have taken part in the initiative, including Anglicare WA, the Katanning Emergency Accommodation Centre, and WA Police.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence campaign, which was started by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991.

This year’s campaign finishes on Friday.